Projects
Year
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Five men in warm outdoor coats standing by sea shore

Driving Sustainability in the Gulf of California: Fishery Management and Offshore Cultivation for Totoaba Macdonaldi

This project modeled market interactions for different scenarios of offshore cultivation to elucidate what effects these new markets would have on both consumers and suppliers of totoaba products, as well as the illegal market for poached buche.

Faculty Advisors: Steve Gaines

Clients: Cygnus Ocean Farms

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Five people link arms and smile on stage

The Hurd Co. (Eco-E)

Reducing the environmental impacts of the apparel supply chain through harnessing waste from the agricultural industry, converting it into apparel-grade fiber.

Faculty Advisors: Andrew Plantinga, Emily Cotter

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foggy road with power lines

Developing a 100% Renewable Energy Strategic Plan for CBS Corporation

This project aimed to estimate the greenhouse gas emission reductions which would result from powering CBS facilities nationwide with 100% renewable energy, and actions to implement this strategy.

Faculty Advisors: Matt Potoski

Clients: CBS Corporation

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Two people posing together

Eco-Entrepreneurship: Roots

The Roots eco-entrepreneurship project developed three business plans for affordable accessory dwelling units.

Faculty Advisors: James Salzman, Emily Cotter

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A student group poses with faculty and PhD advisors with an ocean backdrop

Improving Citizen Science Data Management for Resource Protection

This project team analyzed the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary's current citizen science data management system and identified improvements that will maximize the usability of this rich dataset.

Faculty Advisors: James Frew

Clients: Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

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A group of five students pose after their presentation

Cumulative Impacts Assessment for Timber Harvest: How Best to Incorporate Wildfire Risk and Hazard

The CITE Plan Project ​investigated the relationship between timber management, fire regimes and fire severity and their future regulatory incorporation by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CalFire) into the Timber Harvest Plan (THP) permit process.

Faculty Advisors: Christina Tague

Clients: California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

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Seven people, students and professor posing for photo

Managing the Risks of Emerging Contaminants in the Denver Water Supply

This project team and their client, Denver Water, sought to understand the threat contaminants of emerging concern may pose to drinking water quality in their collection system.

Faculty Advisors: Arturo Keller

Clients: Denver Water

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Five female students standing together for a photo

Economic Quantification of Delaying Management in the Midriff Islands, Mexico

Trade-offs associated with marine reserves are believed to have played a key role in the network’s delayed implementation; potential long-term gains in sustainable fishing and the conservation of biodiversity likely generate short-term losses in fishery revenue due to fishery closures. The trade-offs between conservation and livelihood led our team to ask: What are the consequences of delaying the implementation of a reserve network, and how much area should be protected to enhance both fish biomass and catch?

Faculty Advisors: Hunter Lenihan

Clients: Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI)

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Five students posing together for a photo

Guiding Insurance Instruments to Leverage Natural Infrastructure for Climate Change Resilience

The Nature Conservancy enlisted this group project team to help determine whether investments in natural infrastructure could lower insurance costs to hoteliers and coastal development sites.

Faculty Advisors: Ashley Larsen, Samantha Stevenson-Karl

Clients: The Nature Conservancy

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Five female students standing with two male faculty members

Managing Endemic Species Across the California Islands Archipelago in the Face of Climate Change

This project team worked with The Nature Conservancy, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and other island conservation organizations to better understand how climate change will impact island oaks and their recovery. 

Faculty Advisors: John Melack, Bruce Kendall

Clients: The Nature Conservancy, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

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Group of five students posing together

Utilizing Flexible EV Charging to Mitigate Renewable Energy Curtailment and Support a Low Carbon Grid

In California, there is often an excess supply of solar energy in the middle of the day, which can lead to grid curtailment - when clean, renewable energy is not generated to its full capacity or sold to other regions at negative pricing. As more electric vehicles enter the market in California and are poised to charge at the similar peak demand times, utilities are looking for strategies to shift demand of electric vehicle charging to use that excess supply of solar energy. The project's goal was to analyze the potential of electric vehicles as a flexible demand response tool and how to turn a challenge into an opportunity.

Faculty Advisors: Christopher Costello

Clients: Southern California Edison

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Impact Investment and Fisheries: Can Private Capital Rebuild Chilean Hake Stocks?

Impact Investment and Fisheries: Can Private Capital Rebuild Chilean Hake Stocks?

Group Members: Nathan Grimes

Faculty Advisors: Christopher Costello

Clients: Environmental Defense Fund

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Exploring the Return on Investment Case for Drinking Water Protection in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Exploring the Return on Investment Case for Drinking Water Protection in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Faculty Advisors: Kelly Caylor

Clients: The Nature Conservancy

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Next Generation Water Action Plan for General Electric

Next Generation Water Action Plan for General Electric

Faculty Advisors: Patricia Holden

Clients: General Electric

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Prioritizing Cost-Effective Dust Mitigation at the Salton Sea

Prioritizing Cost-Effective Dust Mitigation at the Salton Sea

Faculty Advisors: Andrew Plantinga

Clients: San Diego County Water Authority