MESM 2025
Pronouns: he/him
Bio
Maxwell Pepperdine graduated summa cum laude from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in June of 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Protection. Growing up in Santa Cruz, CA, Maxwell was fortunate to be surrounded by incredible ocean and redwood ecosystems. This fostered his admiration and affinity for the natural environment at an early age. During his undergraduate career, Maxwell focused his studies on conservation biology and environmental policy. As part of the Frost Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), he conducted research informing spatial conservation planning for a declining, endangered population of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Maxwell developed a model in ArcGIS Pro that identified areas of unprotected, suitable nesting habitat for this species, helping inform future land protection and conservation efforts in the region. Specializing in Conservation Planning at the Bren School, Maxwell hopes to develop data-driven solutions to combat widespread biodiversity loss. He’s excited to acquire the technical skills necessary to support wildlife and landscape conservation, and eager to work alongside local communities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, private companies, and other important stakeholders to address critical environmental issues.