MacKenzie Grebner

Something About Me

Originally from Elk Grove, CA, I grew up with a love and curiosity for nature, which instilled within me the desire to give back to the world to protect it. This commitment led me to join the Environmental Studies Program, and a double major in Aquatic Biology at UC Santa Barbara.  I plan to use my education to work on ocean conservation. Thanks to a 2023 summer internship with BIOMA Sea Turtle Expeditions, under Program Director Professor Wagner Quiros, I participated in field studies in Ostional, Costa Rica. Along with a team of colleagues and leaders, I studied a mass nesting site for Olive Ridley sea turtles. Our team was able to witness thousands of female turtles nesting during a historic arribada where we attended to the injured turtles, collected and analyzed data on the females and their nests, and released a nest of endangered Green sea turtle hatchlings. I also learned from the valuable influence of the local community in supporting conservation efforts. In the Summer of 2024, I interned with the Cache Creek Conservancy in Sacramento, working with the wildlife management and habitat restoration team. This internship allowed me to further develop my restoration techniques and surveying skills. I plan to continue honing these skills to work in other marine ecosystems projects, specifically coral reef conservation and restoration. Outside of my academic pursuits, I am passionate about volunteering in local childhood environmental education programs, spending time at the beach, and swimming!