Stories from Bren Environmental Leadership Fellows

This project examined how restoring native vegetation can enhance the resilience of Southern California beaches to climate change. This internship included fieldwork, data analysis, and public engagement to support science-based adaptation strategies for sea level rise and erosion.

This project evaluated the effectiveness of non-toxic rat control devices on Santa Cruz Island and Coal Oil Point. This internship included remote camera monitoring, data analysis, and stakeholder reporting to support invasive species management that protects vulnerable island ecosystems.

This project used remote sensing to identify decentralized irrigation growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. This internship involved geospatial analysis and coding to assess how non-dam-based systems like center pivot irrigation are reshaping agricultural sustainability in the region.

This project supported sustainable resource management through policy research and community outreach. This internship promoted environmental stewardship and informed conservation efforts in small island developing states.

This project supported sustainable resource management through policy research and community outreach. This internship promoted environmental stewardship and informed conservation efforts in small island developing states.

This project used very high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning to locate whales in the Santa Barbara Channel. This internship supported conservation efforts through technical writing, geospatial analysis, and mentoring to inform whale protection programs like Blue Whales Blue Skies.

Joey Henschel and his PhD mentor Sloane Stephenson developed an RShiny app to make wildfire resilience research accessible. Their work at UCSB’s Sedgwick Reserve enhances science communication and environmental justice efforts.

Ariana and Sabrina’s fellowship analyzed water management policies in Mexico, highlighting climate change impacts and environmental justice in Latin America. Their data-driven research transformed complex datasets into visual insights to better understand water scarcity and policy dynamics.

This project investigated microplastic contamination from cigarette filters using advanced sampling and analysis methods. Students researched cellulose acetate microfibers in California groundwater, and contributed to policy development for environmental risk assessment and tobacco cessation.

The Building Resiliency to Wildfire Project uses prescribed burns to reduce wildfire risk in California’s coastal foothills. This internship helped raise public awareness by developing and distributing communications materials on the benefits of prescribed burns.