Bren School faculty lead interdisciplinary research on pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, water resources, conservation, and ocean health. Their work spans science, policy, and data-driven solutions, collaborating with global institutions and advising governments, businesses, and nonprofits. As experts in fields such as environmental law, economics, sustainability, and justice, they integrate cutting-edge research into their teaching, shaping the future of environmental leadership.

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Researchers working at a whiteboard

On the origin of academic traditions — and some alternatives for debate

Science traditions evolve unpredictably. New research from UCSB and collaborators explores 14 alternative academic practices, highlighting how inherited norms shape equity, conference culture, and career pathways while inviting the STEM community to re-evaluate assumptions.

Collage of marine life

How can a conservation market incentivize global ocean protection?

A new study suggests a market-based system for 30x30 ocean conservation, letting nations trade credits to cut costs by up to 98% and make marine protection more achievable.

Field of sunflowers

How Small Changes In Farming Practices Can Yield Big Savings in Agricultural Water Use

Small changes in farming practices could save as much water as switching crops or fallowing fields. Researchers found that improving irrigation efficiency and adopting better agricultural techniques could significantly reduce water use without drastic land-use changes.

Native and invasive mosquito species populations have exploded as a result of California's significant rainfall during the Winter of 2022/2023. Researchers at Bren are searching for patterns as vector-borne illness spreads.

Why Are There So Many Mosquitoes in California This Year?

Native and invasive mosquito species populations have exploded as a result of California's significant rainfall during the Winter of 2022/2023. Researchers at Bren are searching for patterns as vector-borne illness spreads.

The Faculty Experience: How Bren Professors Work

Get to know Bren faculty and their interdisciplinary research projects, from coral reefs in Mo'orea to climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Subject Matter Expertise Directory:


Bren Faculty

People

Mark Buntaine: Environmental Institutions and Governance

Kelly Caylor: Hydrology, Terrestrial Ecology, Coupled Natural-Human Systems

Jayajit Chakraborty: Environmental Justice, Climate Justice, Disability Justice, Disaster Vulnerability

Christopher Costello: Resource Economics

Max Czapanskiy: Marine Data Science

Ranjit Deshmukh: Energy Systems, Economics, and Policies

Joan Dudney: Forest disturbance ecology, climate change effects, global change ecology

Carmen Galaz García: Environmental Data Science

Roland Geyer: Industrial Ecology

Ben Halpern: Marine Ecology, Conservation Planning

Robert Heilmayr: Environmental Economics, Land System Science

Patricia Holden: Environmental Microbiology

Scott Jasechko: Hydrology, Water Resources, Groundwater

Arturo Keller: Fate and Transport, Watershed Management, Remediation, Pollution Prevention

Ashley Larsen: Agricultural Ecology, Land Use, Landscape Ecology

Hunter Lenihan: Applied Marine and Fisheries Ecology

Andrew MacDonald: Global Change Ecology, Disease Ecology, Environmental and Human Health

Eric Masanet: Energy System Analysis, Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Manufacturing, Data Centers & ICT

Kyle Meng: Environmental Economics

Ruth Oliver: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecology

Alexandra Phillips: Environmental Communication, Oceanography, Geochemistry, Science Policy

Andrew Plantinga: Resource Economics, Land Use Economics

Matt Potoski: Corporate Environmental Management

James Salzman: Environmental Law

Samantha Stevenson-Karl: Climate Modeling, Drought, Oceanography, Climate Dynamics

Christina Tague: Ecohydrology and Ecoinformatics

David Tilman: Ecology, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Functioning

Affiliated Faculty & Researchers

People

Peter Alagona: Faculty in Environmental Studies and History Departments

Olivier Deschenes: Professor, Department of Economics

Sally MacIntyre: Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology

Paasha Mahdavi: Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Cesar B. Martinez-Alvarez: Faculty in Political Science Department

Wendy Meiring: Professor, Department of Statistics and Applied Probability

Matto Mildenberger: Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Antony Millner: Associate Professor, Department of Economics

David Pellow: Dehlsen Chair, Department of Environmental Studies

Debra Perrone: Water Resources Engineering, Groundwater Science and Policy

Ronald Rice: Rupe Chair, Department of Communication

Dar Roberts: Professor, Department of Geography

Rafael J.P. Schmitt: River and catchment processes, hydropower, water resources management

Leah Stokes: Anton Vonk Associate Professor of Environmental Politics

Grace Wu: Sustainable Land Use, Climate Change Mitigation, Renewable Energy Planning, Land Systems Science

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Aquaculture nets on a blue ocean

Adjunct Faculty

People

Darcy Bradley: Marine Conservation

Lee Hannah: Climate Change, Conservation Planning

Max Moritz: Wildfire Dynamics

Robert Wilkinson: Water Policy

Jono Wilson: Fisheries Science and Management

Durwood Zaelke: International Environmental Law and Policy

 

Teaching Faculty & Lecturers

People

Annie Adams:

Julien Brun: Ecohydrology, Earth observation techniques (remote sensing and GIS), and process-based modeling

Emily Cotter: Environmental Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Christopher Free: Fisheries, marine conservation, climate change

Adam Garber: Applied statistics, data science, causal inference, measurement

Maggie Hall: Environmental and Administrative Law

Heather Hodges: Leombruni Lab

Greg Janée: Research data management, scientific reproducibility, digital preservation, digital libraries, and data science and literacy

Christopher Jerde: Applied statistics, data science, biodiversity, environmental DNA, invasive species

Lisa Leombruni: Strategic Environmental Communication & Media

Mateo Robbins: Network models of natural resource governance, sustainable fisheries, sea level rise adaptation, and the science of science communication.

Will Shafroth: President and CEO of the National Park Foundation

Cora Snyder: Corporate water stewardship, integrated water management, California water policy, and global water governance

Caitlin Swalec: Energy and climate, engineering, and industrial decarbonization

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Professor instructs two researchers in lab coats in a laboratory