Students in the Bren School PhD in Environmental Science and Management program develop broad and specialized knowledge, analytical powers, technical skills, and creative thinking to become leaders in environmental science and management. 

The Bren School's interdisciplinary foundation also bolsters the PhD program, reflecting the fact that environmental problem solving frequently requires collaboration and innovation across multiple disciplines. Whether focused on natural sciences, economics, policy, digital data and modeling, communication, or some combination, the work of Bren PhD students is a balance of research and application. With the knowledge and skills acquired here, Bren PhD graduates pursue careers in academia, research, public agencies, non-profit organizations, and business.

CURRENT PHD RESEARCH

COMPLETED DISSERTATIONS BY YEAR

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Current PhD Research

 

Bonnie Basnett: Small-scale fisheries, fisheries management, marine ecology, conservation

Alicia (Allie) Caughman: Marine ecology, conservation, data science

Nestor (Mauricio) Collado: Fisheries, Regulation, Forestry, Environmental Modelling

Anna Costola Pede: Environmental economics, economics of land use

James Cunningham: Ecosystem services, land use, climate change, data science, environmental policy

Sadie Cwikiel: Climate change, marine ecology, oceanography, fisheries

Gemma Del Rossi: Ecosystem services, food-energy-water systems, environmental and agricultural economics

Emilie Difede: Environmental Policy, International Relations, Environmental Economics, Natural Resource Geopolitics, Environmental Justice

Yutian Fang: Marine ecology, marine mammal, fishery management, marine conservation

Lesley Figueroa: Marine Ecology; Marine Conservation; Resilience

Soon Ye (Yuki) Floyd: Environmental microbiology, plastic pollution, bioremediation

Kelly Garvey: Groundwater, data science, water law and policy

Liviu Iancu: Biogeochemistry, soil microbial ecology, nutrient cycles, climate change, climate change p

Olivia Isbell: Marine biology; coral reef ecology and conservation management

Andre Kapteyn: Disease ecology, Biogeography

Simran Koul: Air pollution, Causal inference, Environmental justice, Extreme heat, Geospatial analysis

Karina Lessley (Johnston): Coastal adaptation and policy, beach and dune restoration, coastal wetlands, marine ecology

Risa Lewis: Climate Change Information; Voluntary Climate Action; Emotional Well-being

Shay Magahey: Climate modeling, El Nino/Southern Oscillation, climate change, physical oceanography

Renae Marshall: Energy policy, decarbonization, bipartisan climate solutions

Trace Martin: Microbiological water quality, microbial source tracking, water and wastewater treatment, water resources

Ana Martinez: climate disaster management, environmental policy, environmental justice

Kinsey Matthews: Marine Ecology, Fisheries Management, Conservation, Dynamic Ocean Management

Ishmael Medina: Traditional/Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, Behavioral Ecology, Archaeology, Beaver Habitat Restoration

Jamie Miller: Coastal dune and beach ecology, restoration, wildlife conservation

Michelle Mohr: Forest ecology, dendrochronology, climate change

Fatiq Nadeem: Environmental and Development Economics

Aidan O'Neil: Industrial Decarbonization, Life-Cycle Analysis, Energy Systems Decarbonization

Isabel (Izzy) Osmundsen: Human Niche Construction, Land Management Practices, Traditional/Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, Paleofire, Comparative Paleoecology

Cali Pfleger: Climate modeling

Sanjay Poudel: Energy Systems, Energy Markets

Paxton Ridgway: Fluvial Geomorphology

Emma Rigatti: Terrestrial Carbon Cycle, Climate Change, Land-System Models, Ecohydrology

Olivia Ross: Forest Disturbance, Wildfire Ecology, Climate Change

Ojas Sarup: Eco-hydrology, watersheds, riparian ecosystems, socio-ecological systems

Cella Schnabel: Food and water security, remote sensing, climate-induced migration

Crystal Silliman: Vector-Borne Disease Ecology, Public Health, Global Change Ecology

Zoe Sims: Agriculture, nutrient cycling, tropical ecology, environmental policy

Lanbing Tao: Renewable energy, land use, community engagement

Eleanor Thomas: Industrial ecology, clean power systems, climate and energy policy

Wen Tien Wang: Energy policy, energy transition, air quality

Alessandra Vidal Meza: Biodiversity, Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Technology

William Weiti Lien: Power system transition under climate change; energy land use colocation (agrivoltaics)

Jaenna Wessling: Industrial ecology, sustainability of apparel, life-cycle assessment

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Are you ready to solve environmental problems?

Request more information, get to know the Bren School, and start planning your application today.