MESM 2025
Bio
Samson Grunwald is an adaptable individual with an affinity for working with communities in search of sustainable means of benefitting from nature. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in Geography and Environmental Studies in 2023. During his undergraduate career, Samson completed two internships. The first utilized Geographic Information Systems and Land Change Modeler to identify at risk megafauna corridors at a national park in Sumatra, Indonesia. The second required Samson to talk with community members about the management of a nearby nature reserve in San Quintin, Baja California, Mexico.
In addition, Samson completed an independent research project that helped supplement foundational knowledge and recommendations for a prospective women-run avitourism (birdwatching) project, while studying abroad in the community of El Placer, Tungurahua, Ecuador. Having spent two years of his life in Ecuador, he relished the opportunity to work in a region he loves and with the people he holds close to his heart. His prospective specialization at the Bren School is conservation planning which aligns with his goal of managing protected areas. Long term, Samson hopes to use ecotourism a tool for generating support for communities adjacent to threatened natural areas.