Person's face

MESM 2026

Bio
Natasha Atkins graduated from the University of California Davis (2023), receiving an award for outstanding performance in her major, of Environmental Science and Management with a specialization in Ecology, Biodiversity, and Conservation. During her time at UC Davis Natasha worked with the Tri-Valley Air Quality and Climate Alliance (TVAQCA), a local non-profit. There she published a peer-reviewed paper on the use of publicly available hospital data to quantify the human health effects associated with wildfire plumes. As part of her role with the TVAQCA she engaged with the community on air quality and climate issues at outreach events which she plans to continue in her future career. Natasha values community engagement and environmental justice as important facets of environmental science. At the Bren School, Natasha will specialize in Conservation Planning, in an effort to continue to research the environmental challenges posed by wildfires through the lens of forest conservation.