MESM 2024
Pronouns: she/her
Bio
Leah Makler graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2021 with a B.S. in Biology. While there, she worked with botany professors on studying the ecology and evolution of California native flora as related to abiotic climate variables, and co-authored a paper published on the association between color and climate in California monkeyflowers. Following this publication, she did her senior project on the macroevolution of floral resilience across California native species. After graduating from Cal Poly, Leah obtained a position as a Rare Plant Conservation Intern at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG), where she studied the phenology of threatened Clarkia species. Additionally, she assisted in the collection and cleaning of the seeds of many rare California native plants, which supported seed banking efforts for conservation and research. Prior to starting at the Bren School, Leah worked as a drafting paralegal for Santa Barbara Estate Planning and Elder Law, where she developed professional writing and clerical skills. At the Bren School, she is planning on specializing in Water Resources Management and/or Conservation Planning and hopes to work at the intersection of science and policy in water or land conservation.