Environmental Studies and Geography, '27
Something About Me
Alyssa is a rising third-year Environmental Studies B.A. and Geography B.A. double major at UC Santa Barbara. Her academic and professional interests center on marine conservation, sustainable food systems, and science communication. She has conducted sea turtle research in Costa Rica and co-leads a sustainable coffee initiative in Isla Vista that has diverted 1,100 pounds of coffee waste into compost. To strengthen her science communication skills, Alyssa serves as Program Manager for UCSB’s chapter of Sprout Up, leading free, hands-on environmental science lessons for Title I elementary students. Through her Fellowship this summer, Alyssa worked alongside Master’s student Ashley Diedenhofen and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch team. Her research involved interviewing stakeholders across the seafood supply chain, including corporate partners, NGOs, consultants, and financial institutions, to better understand their challenges and information needs regarding procuring sustainable seafood. She also analyzed how ESGaligned tools like climate and biodiversity disclosure frameworks (e.g., SBTi, TNFD) can support targeted, actionable sustainability reporting. The internship resulted in a report for Seafood Watch, translating interviews into recommendations for updated or new information products for engaging sustainable seafood stakeholders. Alyssa is eager to shape future guidance and outreach tools that will advance ocean sustainability.