MESM 2027
Bio
Hannah has a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolution from UCSB, a coding and computer science background, a diverse set of research skills including laboratory experimentation and statistical analysis, and a goal of protecting the environment through scientific research. She understands that nature is a vital yet limited resource, and therefore, resource management is one of the most valuable and necessary ways to conserve natural ecosystems.
After her undergraduate years, Hannah decided a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management would be her next step. She was inspired by her ecosystem science and marine biology classes, and by a habitat restoration internship she held as an undergraduate. In this internship, she removed weeds, planted native species, and learned about environmental resources. She has also held several lab internships at UCSB, most notably in a botany lab where she analyzed samples of forget-me-not plants, and in an evolutionary biology lab where she described a completely new crustacean species to put it on phylogenetic trees.
Her experience as a student and research intern taught her a great deal about the diversity of nature and its vulnerability to human disturbance. She is interested in Conservation Planning and Coastal Resource Management, likely with an Eco-Entrepreneurship project. After graduation she hopes to bring her expertise to solve real environmental problems such as habitat loss and species extinction, and work toward sustainable, evidence-based plans for protecting ecosystems in California and elsewhere.