Meet our Graduate Students

Jose Asuncion

Hi! My name is Jose, and I was born and raised in the Philippines. I graduated from the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle—College of Saint Benilde, earning an International Relations (IR) and Diplomacy degree. My undergraduate exposed me to critical thinking theories and concepts that seek to understand global affairs, such as sustainable development, environmental diplomacy, and various IR theories like realism, liberalism, post-modernism, and many more. During my thesis year, I initially wanted to explore how sports can be used for development, but circumstances pointed me to another route. Since graduating in 2018, I have earned five years of work experience in sports coaching and management, education, and environmental advocacy and research. I have always seen sports as a beacon of hope. One of my biggest motivations is to use my experience and understanding of sports, especially football (soccer), for broader social change. This quote from St. John Paul II best captures my sentiments: "Out of all the most unimportant things, football is the most important." This leads me to my current research interest, exploring the relationship between sports and the environment. Specifically, I want to understand how we can utilize sports as a mitigation strategy and for broader social and structural changes while improving environmental education and awareness. I have been a fan of Arsenal Football Club since 2009 and have played the sport since I was 4. I also like cooking and mentoring kids and am very fond of dogs!

Fun fact: I coached and managed a grassroots football (soccer) team in a low-income community in the Philippines with 100+ kids! If I weren't pursuing a career in the environment, I would be studying for my football coaching license.

Jarette Barajas

Hello! I spent a lot of my childhood in the outdoors or soccer field in my hometown of San Jose, California. My mother and I would frequently hike at Alum Rock Park and other parks. Every summer my family and I go on camping trips to Calaveras and Alpine County. Because of this exposure and interest to nature and wilderness, I decided to study Environmental Science at the University of Redlands. I majored in Environmental Science and minored in Spatial Studies & GIS. During my time at the University of Redlands I completed many natural and social science courses related to environmental science, while completing labs and activities all around San Bernardino County. For my senior capstone project, I did research on the Panama Canal using GIS and data provided by the Panamanian government to understand why there isn’t enough water in the Panama Canal. My research interests for this graduate program are related to hydrology, energy, and conservation, but I am open to exploring new topics. My hobbies include hiking, camping, traveling, soccer, and golf. 

A fun fact about myself is that I received Conference Player of the Year and All-American honors at the collegiate level for Division 3 Soccer.

Christina Barry

I was born in Michigan, and raised in Minnesota. I have spent all of my life enjoying the great outdoors and soaking up as much sunshine as possible. When I was a little girl, I knew I would grow up to be an advocate for our environment. 

I was born the daughter of two adults who are passionate about scuba diving, traveling, camping, and spending summer days up at the cabin on the lake as much as possible. Their blood definitely runs through my veins. I was less than one month old when I traveled on an airplane for the first time. My two current favorite travel destinations are the Swiss Alps, and the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I am also a sucker for Alaskan summers, and Hawaii's beautiful garden island of Kauai.

I am a deeply devoted yogi, runner, snowboarder, hiker, surfer, and skier. I am driven and motivated by the lasting impacts of climate change, water management, environmental protection, forest conservation, and sustainable law and policy. 

In 2021, I rescued my best friend. Her name is Aspen, and she is a 2 year old Mastiff/ Yellow Lab mix. I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2020 and received my Bachelor of Science, while also competing on our NCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer team. I majored in Community Entrepreneurship, and double minored in Public Communications and Community and International Development. 

Now that my love for studying our environment is taking me to the other side of our country, I could not be more excited to earn my Masters of Environmental Studies and immerse myself into San Jose's culture. I look forward to meeting new people, exploring new spots, and creating change one day at a time.

A fun fact about me is that I rescued my best friend in 2021. Her name is Aspen, and she is a 2 year old Mastiff/ Yellow Lab mix!

Abby Espinosa-Gonzalez Bellolio

My interdisciplinary education and experiences in research and industry have driven me to pursue this environmental science program, where I hope to make a meaningful contribution to addressing environmental disparities and promoting equity in marginalized communities. My undergraduate studies at Iowa State University, where I focused on Spanish Language: World Languages and  Culture and Industrial Technology: Occupational Health and Safety, provided me with a unique perspective that combines environmental health and safety with a commitment to social and environmental justice. Throughout my academic and industry career, I have been deeply committed to assisting marginalized communities in urban areas, particularly those in industrial settings, by advocating for and promoting sustainable practices. My ambitions led me to pursue a Masters thesis on “Understanding the vulnerability and resilience to climate change among unhoused unsheltered individuals residing in San Fransisco Bay Area, particularly those in close proximity to urban stream corridors”.

I am passionate about keeping the ever-evolving environment, biodiversity, and community members safe through the applied use of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. I have learned that the answer to tackling problems in our community and the world is head-on. Making actual change is through education, research, and the endless pursuit of knowledge and understanding, meanwhile being the necessary change. I want to dedicate my life to environmental research and education once I graduate because all my experiences in research and industry have helped me bring a diverse perspective on the environment and sustainability. I look forward to contributing to the culture of advancing sustainability, driving innovation, exercising integrity, and building community at San Jose State University.

I love to skateboard, am a big foodie, and love to watch shows! A fun fact about me is that I played the Viola for 9 years!

David Benterou

I spent my childhood Summers dipping in creeks and playing among oaks and sycamores in my hometown of Livermore, California. I participated in Scouting, learning to love adventuring and camping outdoors, and earned an Eagle award by planning community service for a summer camp helping terminally-ill youth. I attended the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), and was exposed to studying plant ecology at the campus farm with Steve Gliessman. I completed a BA in Environmental Studies (concentrating in sustainable agriculture) and second in American Studies.

Through nearly a decade of work in youth outdoor science education at the Boulder Creek, Ca YMCA camp, I enjoyed hiking outside in the rain and sun, smelling wet redwood duff, and kissing banana slugs (actually, we don’t do that anymore!). In this time, I also was certified as a California Naturalist through the UC Cooperative Extension, (which I recommend to everyone to gain more familiarity with the natural world and with current research). Also during my time at the Camp, extreme weather, and particularly wildfires and hazardous air quality, forced numerous evacuations of hundreds of camp participants, and in 2020 the CZU Lightning Complex fires burned the forests surrounding the school. My interest in connecting people to their natural surroundings was met by the question of how to meet dueling goals of wildfire preparedness and redwood forest conservation. Now at SJSU, I’m interested in researching how coast redwood understories respond to wildfire defensible space fuel reductions.

I love backpacking and bike touring in remote places, and I’ve formerly volunteered teaching bike mechanic skills to the public through The Bike Church Co-op in Santa Cruz. My fun fact: I found an enormous California Giant Salamander, while wandering around the redwoods in a downpour, and was so excited I forgot to get a photo!

Rachael Burnham

I was the type of child who consistently brought home stray animals, raised snails and crickets in the backyard, and read books about animals.  This passion for animals led me to explore and venture into the veterinary health sector.  I graduated with my A.S. in Veterinary Technology in 2009, and have been working as a Registered Veterinary Technician ever since.  I continued going to school during my career as an RVT, and graduated from San Jose State University in 2014 with my B.S. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Restoration and Resource Management.  During my undergraduate education, my interests became more focused and my true passion for wildlife conservation and habitat protection came to fruition.  I focused my final project and senior seminar on the wildlife in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The research I conducted used camera traps to gather data, which helped analyze the types of wildlife and activities of the species within Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve.  I look forward to continuing my education to help protect threatened and endangered species and the habitats they rely on.

My hobbies include hanging out with my fiancé and our two dogs, Athena and Kobe.  I enjoy backpacking, hiking, and basically anything to do with the outdoors.  It is my goal one day to backpack the Pacific Crest Trail.

Melissa Andrea Canabal Rosales

There are singular events in life that shed light upon a vocational pursue. It was during my third year of Environmental Engineering at La Salle University in Bogota, Colombia when I began to understand the connection between man and nature as well as my own vocation. Geographically speaking, Colombia is a country with two coasts bathed by the Pacific Ocean on its west shore, by the Caribbean Sea in the east and it is crowned by the Andes range. being so privileged, it seems to be difficult to consider the idea of a wrong perception about the abundance and water wealth. However, that is one of the realities we face as a country. For that reason, I became utterly passionate and interested in discovering the engineering concepts at the base of actions aimed at guaranteeing sustainability. In 2017, I participated in a project with Colombian farms organized by the university as a field practice for the subject Municipal Service Workshop Research Project. I had a closer experience with farmers that cultivate passion fruits (maracuya) in Tame, municipality of Arauca. The experience encouraged me to investigate and explore the rural situation in my country with a purpose of service, seeking to improve their living conditions and introducing improvements in the levels of agricultural production. As my interest in sustainability developed, my interest focused on water resource management and its essential role in all social, economic and cultural areas of the nation. Additionally, I researched into watershed management. Thus, I gained a better understanding on the role of water supply in the hydrographic basin as well as the impact on the level of water as a consequence of the contamination resulting from socioeconomic and industrial activities. I am very grateful to join my Colombian academic background with my studies in the United States at San Jose State University so as to gain a more global perspective and continue exploring in  water management considering how climate change affects water management in multiple ways. Thus, creating abundant opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world environmental challenges.

About my hobbies, I am a life passionate woman and I am very connected with my purpose in life and because of the beauty that exists in the simplicity of things, it makes me very happy to workout, yoga, or running next to the ocean, I love reading self-improvement books, learning about coffee and wine and spending my time listening to neuroscience podcasts and applying gratitude in my life by studying my level of consciousness more every day and working on it to elevate it and create an impact on society.

An interesting fact about me is that I want as a long-term goal to gather knowledge to make a business plan in which I can involve: coffee, coffee-growing families, and sustainable practices with the environment.

Oliver Chesley

A child of two coasts, I was born and spent my childhood in Boston, Massachusetts before moving with my family to the bay area. Here, in the varied and wondrous landscapes of California is where I developed my love for the outdoors, and where I eventually returned to begin charting my course in the field of conservation. I attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where I studied psychology with a focus in cognitive neuroscience. I developed a thesis project exploring questions related to grapheme-color synesthesia, and after graduating in 2016 I worked as a research assistant in a lab at a local hospital. At the end of my term as a research assistant, I moved back to the bay area and began to refocus toward an active career outdoors, where I feel the happiest. I started volunteering for a local wildlife rehabilitation center, got a job cleaning barn owl boxes in the field, and shortly afterward started working seasonally for Marin County Parks. First in habitat restoration, and then moving into wildlife biology, my time with Marin County Parks afforded me many wonderful opportunities to develop my skills as a field biologist and learn the ins and outs of the local landscapes. Since then I have volunteered and interned with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, conducting point counts and banding migratory raptors in the Marin headlands.

 I’m looking forward to continuing my education and building the academic background in environmental studies that I didn’t get from my undergraduate experience. I am most interested in developing my skills in avian (especially raptor) monitoring and conservation, but I’m also excited at the chance to broaden my perspectives and be exposed to many aspects of environmental science. 

 I enjoy reading, hiking and backpacking, playing music, woodworking, and exploring the west coast when I have time to wander. I’ve had a leopard gecko named Trevor for much of my life, who I’m increasingly convinced is immortal. Fun fact - I’ve played catch with a pelican!

Isabelle Cojocaru-Durand

I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. I speak French at home but went to school in English. I completed a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Finance in 2013 at Concordia University. Since then, I have been working in finance in Montreal. Why the sudden change in fields? Because I have always been passionate about environmental protection and interested in environmental issues. In the last few years I have learned a lot about climate change by being involved with many different environmental organizations as a volunteer and advocate. I’m now ready to take the leap and pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Studies. I would like to link my background in business with the environment by focusing my research on the implementation of environmental management systems and the integration of environmental practices in corporations. I am also really interested in environmental policy and renewable energy.

Outside of work and school, I love spending time outdoors and I am so excited to experience the many possibilities that California has to offer. I am an avid runner, alpine skier, yogi and scuba diver. I love going on adventures, travelling, discovering new cultures, meeting new people and trying new things (especially food!).

More about me: Growing up I was so scared of sharks anytime we would go to a beach. In 2015, I had the chance to dive next to great white sharks in South Africa. This experience truly opened my eyes to the beauty of this animal and its importance within the ocean ecosystem. I’m now also more at peace when I go swimming! Another fear of mine, heights!! I have yet to be convinced to jump off a plane…

Madison Creech

I grew up in Turlock, CA and recently graduated from California State University - Monterey Bay with a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Communities and a Minor in Environmental Health Policy. I currently work at Ag Land Trust, a nonprofit organization, located in Salinas, CA, as an Administrative Analyst. My main passion is environmental justice.

A fun fact about me is I built a 3D model of a Biophilic mixed-used building.

Claudia Damiani Fontana

I was born in Peru and moved to the Bay Area five years ago. I grew up in Lima, the capital and biggest city in Peru, but I always loved more rural settings. Since I was a little girl, my life was greatly influenced by the Andes where I would go to enjoy family vacations with my three brothers and parents. 

In 2008, I graduated from the National Agrarian University La Molina with a degree in forestryengineering. My first job as a young professional was the adventure of my life, I had the opportunity to work with indigenous communities roughly from 2008 to 2011 and then again from 2012 until 2014. Those years living with the indigenous people were greatly inspiring and moving. I learned a little bit of their language, how to catch fish with a net, traditional dances, and the use of medicinal plants.

In 2008, I graduated from the National Agrarian University   La Molina with a degree in forestryengineering. My first job as a young professional was the adventure of my life, I had the opportunity to work with indigenous communities roughly from 2008 to 2011 and then again from 2012 until 2014. Those years living with the indigenous people were greatly inspiring and moving. I learned a little bit of their language, how to catch fish with a net, traditional dances, and the use of medicinal plants.  

Now I live in the East Bay with my husband, who is a proud SJSU alumni, and I work as a Greenhouse Manager for a local non-profit organization called Valley Verde. I am in charge of propagating multi-ethnic seedlings for the families enrolled in our organic home garden program. My current job gave me the opportunity to learn more about the diversity within Santa Clara County, their traditional foods, ingredients, organic agriculture, and sustainable food systems. 

My hobbies include of course gardening, reading about gardening, pottery, and watching movies. A fun fact about me: most of the time I can accurately predict whether or not a movie is good just by judging the poster.

As a student at SJSU, I plan on working with Dr. Russell and explore the relationship between soil hydrophobicity and wildfires in chaparrals and forested habitats.

Stephen Doyle

I was born and raised in Upland, California. Growing up, I discovered my love of the outdoors during visits to national parks, natural history museums, and aquariums. Another big reason I had a childhood interest in environmentalism was because of Steve Irwin’s documentaries, which highlighted the importance of conservation and being a steward of nature.

I graduated from San Jose State with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Sustainable Water Resources. During my undergraduate fieldwork courses, I had the opportunity to visit a variety of California wetlands, which eventually grew into my primary research interest. I was intrigued by the biodiversity and ecological importance of wetlands, such as Elkhorn Slough, and the impacts that human activity had on them. I also enjoyed learning about California’s unique water management challenges, such as saltwater intrusion caused by groundwater pumping.

I currently work as a Regulatory Compliance Analyst for Caldwell Compliance. I have had the opportunity to work on the regulatory scope of works for both the pre and post-construction sides of cellular site builds. A couple of aspects of being a regulatory analyst I enjoy are interpreting NEPA documents and learning about implemented safeguards that are in place to protect avian species that could be adversely affected by the fast-growing telecommunications industry.

As a San Jose State graduate student, I hope to research effective and natural methods of reducing nutrient-rich runoff sourced from human activity and mitigating the damage it causes to California’s watersheds.

During my free time, I enjoy exploring new wetlands, playing rugby, hiking, and visiting breweries. Fun fact: I have a bearded dragon named Biggles who enjoys car rides and frolicking in the grass.

Maya Elson

I grew up in rural Western Massachusetts, exploring the forest with my dog. From a young age, my purpose has centered around safeguarding and nurturing the interconnected web of life. As an organizer, researcher and educator, I am interested in integrating indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge to regenerate damaged landscapes, protect wild spaces, and help humans fulfill our ecological roles. I did my undergrad in Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College, where I focused on Field Biology and Environmental Justice. Over the 9 years that I lived in Olympia, WA, I was immersed in climate and forest activism and co-founded the Radical Mycology network. I joined CoRenewal (formerly Amazon MycoRenewal Project) in 2012, where I have been involved ever since and served for 5 years as the Executive Director. I am involved with CoRenewal’s FENiXS Project, an effort to develop methodologies for applying microbial inoculants post-fire for erosion control, toxin mitigation, forest fuels reduction and ecological regeneration. I am leading a wildfire resilience experiment in my work as an Applied Mycology Consultant for the UCSC Sustainability Studies Minor Program. I have always had a deep love for facilitating connection with the natural world and have worked with several nature connection programs over the last 18 years. I have a Graduate Certificate in Ecopsychology. I weave together human and ecological remediation through my company MycoPsychology Experiences, where I teach Applied Mycology, Foraging Ecology and Mushroom Identification. I also volunteer with Santa Cruz Herbal Mutual Aid and Santa Cruz Jews for Free Palestine.

Fun fact: I have an enchanted 8-year-old kid who is fascinated by animal neuroscience and mermaids.

Olivia Fragiacomo

Hi! You can call me Liv! I just finished undergrad at University of California, Santa Cruz in Environmental Studies. I had a concentration in Conservation Science and Policy with a minor in Spanish Studies. I really enjoyed my research opportunities while I was there, including assisting research on a bird project in Colombia, interning at a garden on campus, and restoring an endangered plant population at the Fort Ord Natural Reserve. I focused my senior exit on Plant Disease Ecology, and hope to extend that research into my work here for my Master’s. I’m super interested in sustainable agriculture, soil microbial communities, and plant disease protection. I would like to more specifically explore the interactions between Arbuscular Mycorrhizae and Compost Teas as a disease treatment and suppressant. I am also just a big plant nerd and could go on about native plants and their cool interactions with fungi and bacteria. A hobby of mine would be bouldering, especially outside with some friends. I grew up in the Sierra Nevadas so big rocks and cool trees to climb were always around.

A fun fact about me would probably be that I hugged a cactus when I was really young, I fell asleep as they picked out all of the spines. Lastly, my picture is taken with the elusive but large California Giant Salamander, my favorite amphibian.

Diana Garcia

My name is Diana Garcia-Colmenarez, and I am joining the Environmental Studies program here at SJSU to focus on Fire Ecology and GIS. My aim is to learn how to model fire behavior and map out the impacts that fire will have on various surface processes. I want my research to be able to inform emergency response teams and create meaningful fire management plans. Born and raised in the golden hills of the East Bay, one of my earliest memories was seeing a giant grass fire creep towards my house on the Fourth of July. I know as well as anyone how destructive and impactful fire can be. Even more impactful is being able to utilize cutting edge tools alongside fire personnel to put our resources where they can do the most good - for people and for the environment. As the climates change and summers get longer and hotter, I want to be able to contribute in creating meaningful fire policy/data. I graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2020 with a BA in Environmental Studies, and I was encouraged to chase the GIS bug into higher education by my advisors.

Aside from the program, I am currently trying to figure out how to grow Stropharia Wine Cap mushrooms in a pot, and so far I have produced one cap (and I’m very proud of it). I enjoy discussing historical costuming, science fiction horror movies, and fantasy novels!

Kinsara Garg

I was born in a small town in the northern part of India. I grew up as a shy teenager with a lot of dreams encaged inside as a little girl. Little did I know this girl would one day become an extrovert speaker and unshackle her dreams of travel and lead a team as the head of a department. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a setup where sustainability was an inevitable part of our lives, from sharing air- conditioned rooms to carpooling or biking to work/school and understanding the importance of Re-using and Re-purposing the Non- Biodegradable goods. So, my love for the Environment was inculcated at a very young age. 

I graduated with a bachelor's in science with a minor in Botany, Zoology, and chemistry. Further, I pursued a Master's in Zoology, where I got acquainted with environmental biology as one of the courses and developed an interest in it. Post this; I worked as a biology lecturer for 5years. I travelled few countries, which brought me even closer to Environmental sustainability as I realized how human interference and modernization are taking us towards irreversible environmental catastrophe. 

This motivated me to do some volunteering to raise alarming awareness about minimizing the pollution caused to our ecosystem and jeopardizing our flora and fauna, and not forgetting shrinking beautiful years of ourselves. So, I volunteered for two weeks in Bali (Indonesia) and locally in India. This pulled me to San Jose for the love of the Environment, and I pursued this field further to be part of the change for the betterment of species and wildlife. As a graduate student at San Jose, My Research area would be somewhere between the changing Climatic impacts on our flora and fauna and the impact of non-biodegradable waste among species. I plan to work in organizations that aim toward environmental sustainability work. 

During my Leisure time, I love listening to Ed-Sheeran, Taylor swift and Bollywood music. I love hiking and have attained 14000 altitude, a peak of the Hampta-pass trek in India. Also, I have done multiple Adventure Sports like skydiving, scuba diving and rafting (7 times). I have written about some of those on my Blog. Theoutbacklife.com I am very excited about new adventures and new friendships that await me at SJSU. 

Fun Fact- I can speak three languages and walk for hours with my ear phones plugged in.

Eric Goldbeck-Dimon

I grew up in San Francisco and since childhood I have relied on the greenbelt of the San Francisco peninsula as a respite from the busyness of the city. My uncle was forced to live in the heart of SF’s Tenderloin as a result of rheumatoid arthritis which prevented him from working to earn a living income. My mother, a naturalist, took my uncle on regular hikes when he could still walk, and I would often join them. I contrasted the stress and depression of the inner city with the peace and freedom of nature and realized the importance of the natural world and the pressing need for its protection. The oak savanna in particular resonated with me and has become my calling.

In August of 2020 I graduated from UCSC with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies combined with Biology. My dad also played a part in my environmental interest as he too graduated from UCSC with a degree in Environmental Studies. In my undergraduate time I interned at the UCSC Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) taking forest census data. I also worked on habitat restoration as an intern at the Younger Lagoon Reserve in Santa Cruz. I took a series of classes on geographical information systems (GIS) and eventually interned with PhD candidate Stephanie Webb, helping her to project Pacific Herring spawning and landing data onto maps of California. I would like to use my GIS background to map out and ensure the future of the oak savanna in California. While global climate change is inevitable, oak trees exert a significant regional influence on ecosystems and could therefore be used strategically as a foundational species to preserve local conditions needed by the flora and fauna that comprise native ecosystems.

When I am not chilling under oak trees I am either at the record store digging through the crates, painting abstract expressions/landscapes, or making unnecessarily healthy smoothies.

Anna Greene

Hi everyone! My name is Anna Greene and I am from Santa Maria, California on the Central Coast. Growing up, I spent all my time exploring the Solomon Hills across from my home. Rather if it was catching bluebellies with my friends or riding dirt bikes with my brother, there was never a moment I was not outside exploring.

I moved to San Jose to complete my B.A. in Global Studies with a minor in Public Policy and Public Administration in 2019. While in undergrad I interned at the Center for Development of Recycling here on campus. This led to my current job position where I am the Household Hazardous Waste Manager. 

As a Black Danish American, my love and respect for all parts of our ecosystem has been instilled in me since childhood, thus fueling my passion for environmental justice particularly when it comes to the Black community. Many generations of Black people have been left traumatized from systemic oppression that have made many walk away from natural science, particularly agriculture. It is my passion to not only bring attention to the environmental and systemic issues the community faces, but to encourage BIPOC people to not turn away from something that was once seen as important cultural knowledge and heritage. 

If I’m not in the classroom or out on a trail run, you can either find me in the kitchen whippin' up some food and herbal remedies or dancing with my friends at a rave under the neon lights!  I am looking forward to continuing my studies here in the ENVS department as my undergraduate experience was more than I could have hoped for.

Jessica Gonzalez

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and I graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Restoration and Resource Management in 2012.  Since graduating, I have worked in several field research opportunities, including bird banding in Indiana, conducting shorebird and waterfowl surveys in Bay Area salt evaporation ponds with San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, and most recently working with SFBBO once again to conduct breeding Snowy Plover surveys as a Biologist.  I am looking forward to returning to SJSU to pursue my Master's degree and being able to pursue my thesis on the behavior and conservation of local breeding avian species while monitoring ecological habitats of the Western Snowy Plover.

The experience and knowledge I've gained through my educational studies, work, and life experiences have been very gratifying in the advancement of my career.  More importantly, they have been more rewarding and valuable than I have ever anticipated.  Simply being immersed in an environment of knowledge and working alongside wildlife has been a joy in my life.

During my free time, I enjoy spending time in nature, drinking excessive amounts of coffee, taking naps, spending time with my three cats and my family, and of course spending my time with birds and wildlife.

Landon Guzman

Hello everyone! My Name is Landon Guzman, I am from Stockton, California.

For my undergraduate degree, I also studied in the bay area at SFSU, where I graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies. Currently, I am an incoming graduate student in the Environmental Studies Graduate program at San Jose State University, with a particular interest in Environmental Policy, as I believe larger actions need to be made within our government to help save our planet. Regarding my thesis, I do not have a concrete question yet. However, I am leaning into diving into the relationship between polyethylene waxes in our personal care products and how the presence of these waxes can affect our environment.

In my free time, I enjoy finding new places to eat and exploring with friends and family, especially here in San Jose, where there seems to be limitless options of incredibly tasty food. I also enjoy being creative when I have the time, I like to doodle and paint with watercolors as medium. I usually paint things I find pretty like, flowers, plants, hands, and bubbles.  As for my dislikes, it would have to be eating unsatisfying food. Hopefully, I will get to see all of you in person soon.

Tam Ha

My name is Tam Ha. I was born in Saigon, Vietnam and moved to America when I was only 4 months old. I’m not sure why I was even born in Vietnam because it restricts me from running for president. I graduated from my undergrad with a BS in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Sustainable Energy. I currently am enrolled for a Masters in Environmental Studies for Fall 2024. The main reason I am doing my Masters is to expand my knowledge and build my experience in the ENVS field. Another reason that I refused to acknowledge for a while is that I am not ready to go into the real world and work a monotonous 9-5 job while ceasing a connection to my close friends. Thus I need to stall more and what better way to stall than to further my education, this way it is more productive than just sitting around. When I graduate, I have no choice but to lock in. My research interests are to look into renewable energy and how to truly impacts our environment. I still have to dilute it to a specific research topic but I am set in stone for renewable energy. I have a lot of hobbies such as playing volleyball, guitar, piano, fortnite, running, cooking, and many other activities.

A fun fact about me is that I recently discovered that I slept walk. I slept walk into my own room to kick someone out. According to them I said “I need to eep” and proceeded to plop onto my bed. Saying I need to eep while already eeping is legendary.

Carter Hawkins

Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains, coastal environments were something that always existed on my radar. Whether it was my trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Moss Landing, Davenport, or further up the coast, my proximity to the coast created a fascination with the complex environment that exists within it and in relation to it. I spent my youth traveling along the coast exploring places that invoked wonder and joy. As I grew older that fascination grew as my knowledge did, and along with that also came a fierce desire to protect the ecosystem I had come to love. I attended Long Beach State as a student athlete while obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy. Along with my coursework and research, I worked as an intern at Vericatch during my final semester at Long Beach State. Vericatch itself is a fishery software company used by fisheries and governments to trace the catch reported by fishermen to ensure sustainability. My role as a Sustainability Market Research Intern was to use my knowledge of sustainability policy to further research and compile a data set of the seafood sustainability purchase policies of U.S., Canadian, and European grocery retailers. Additionally, working with my supervisors about seafood tracking and ideal seafood sustainability policies. I enjoyed studying the balance between the natural world and the policies that are needed to implement change. I am excited to focus my research on sustainable policies that pertain to coastal environments.

Outside of school I enjoy doing anything that will either get me active or get me outside, typically both. Some of my hobbies would include traveling, photography, rock climbing, surfing, biking, water polo, and simply trying new things. A fun fact about me is that I have traveled to 4/7 continents and plan to bring that up to 6/7.

Alexander (Ash) Ivanov

I was born and raised in San Francisco and moved with my family to Portland, Oregon where I stayed until I was 20 when I graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and Management with a minor in Water resources. During my time at PSU I did my honors undergraduate thesis on examining the effectiveness of riparian restoration projects on improving water quality in urban streams of the Portland Metropolitan Area. For my graduate research I am planning to continue focus on restoration ecology, particularly riparian areas, by researching the techniques used, how effective they are, and what could impact that effectiveness and hope to work in either impact assessment or developing/implementing restoration plans after graduate school.. I am excited to return to research and work towards a career in restoration!

Outside of academia I am a barista and enjoy photography, rock climbing, hiking, and video games. My favorite photography style is medium format primarily of landscapes and architecture. When I go hiking in the bay my favorite spots are in Point Reyes for some great views of the pacific, although for shorter hikes I tend to go to Lands End.

Christian Knowlton 

I was born in Riverside C.A snd currently reside in Santa Cruz.  I spent eight years in the U.S. Army with multiple deployments over seas, before returning to school and earning my B.S. in Biological Sciences from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  I have always had a strong interest in nature and conservation. Some of my earliest memories are camping with my family and catching and identifying the insect I would find in my back yard.

Currently I work for H.T. Harvey as a field biologist.  Most of my work has been with heaps however I have also worked extensively with owls.  I spent two seasons surveying for spotted owls in the Sierras.  I have also conducted western burrowing owl surveys, Swainson’s hawk, great gray owl surveys along with surveys for California tiger salamander and red-legged frog. When I am not in the field I enjoy music I regularly attend concerts from local bands at one of Santa Cruz’s great music venues or spending time with my two kittens. 

Melanie Kramer

Howdy! I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where I grew up hiking in the beautiful Franklin Mountains. I graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s in physics, double minoring in math and electrical engineering. I moved to the Bay Area at the end of 2019 to work at NASA Ames Research Center. I’m currently a project administrator and previously worked in the Office of the Chief Scientist. I also volunteer with two employee resource groups to advocate for and support the Ames workforce community. The West Texas desert will always have a special place in my heart, but I fell in love with the redwood forests and ocean views of the Bay Area when I moved to California. My research interests are currently very broad, and my hope is that as I progress in my studies within the Environmental Studies program, I can narrow my passions towards something impactful and meaningful. I’m interested in wildfire monitoring, management, and risk mitigation, as well as forest ecosystem recovery after wildfires. I want to both protect people and preserve forests as wildfires are happening, as well as better understand how ecosystems recover after such events and change over time. Some of my hobbies include taking long walks with my dog; playing video games and board games; and theme park history deep dives. I love music, both going to concerts and playing instruments. I’ve played the flute since I was in 5th grade, and I’m currently learning the ukulele. I’m an aspirational reader, knitter, and cross stitcher; I love doing these activities but motivation for them comes in waves.

A fun fact about me is that I have aphantasia, so I can’t picture things in my mind! I discovered this during my multivariable calculus course in undergrad – wondering why I was the only one in my class frustrated at the professor saying, “just imagine rotating the diagram in your head” and not finding the advice helpful.

Christine Lopez

Hello! My name is Christine Lopez and I have been living in the San Francisco Bay Area my whole adult life, but mainly from the East Bay. I received my BS in Environmental Studies minor in habitat restoration in the spring of 2022. I am interested in the ecology side of environmental studies and the ways that we could mitigate our negative influence on the ecosystem.

I was originally a navy brat and grew up in a navy town near Seattle, then I migrated to the Bay Area in my late teens. Growing up in Puget Sound and later the Bay Area I was always fascinated by the transition zone between land and water. Due to RealLife™ it took me 7 years to get my AS in natural science from Laney College in Oakland, CA with the intention of transferring to a university for marine biology. Due to RealLife™ once again it took me 5 years to get my transfer requirements completed, only to figure out at the last minute I wanted to focus on environmental studies.

Once at SJSU, I completed my BS in environmental studies in 2 years. My focus was on tidal marshes and riparian zones with my senior seminar project focused on how urban features can affect invasive plant species intrusion in riparian zones. I immediately applied for the master’s program before graduation and was accepted for fall 2022. My master’s thesis will focus on how urbanization can affect three canines of Silicon Valley, grey foxes, red foxes, and coyotes.

Currently, I am an intern with The Urban Wildlife Research Project working under Bill “The Fox” Leikam in the Palo Alto Baylands. We use camera traps to do a broad observation study on the various species in the Baylands. The Bayland currently is the home to two grey foxes “Liamos” and “Big Eyes” and two beavers, as well as the occasional coyotes and red foxes, plus dozens of raccoons, skunks, and opossums.

My 10-year goal is to be in a position be help mitigate healthy ecological functions in an anthropogenic world.

Mojgan Mahdizadeh

I was born and raised in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. While living in Iran, I was able to obtain a B.A. in Economics from Azad Tehran University. My country has been subjugated by an oppressive and brutal theocracy for over 40 years, but I was fortunate enough to immigrate to the United States to enjoy basic human rights, freedom and a better future. Back then, the only refuge that would give me a sense of peace and solace was nature. Still, some of the best memories I have from my homeland are the trips I took to the Caspian Sea and the hikes in the Alborz mountain range. In the United States, I became aware of the environmental issues facing humanity. That soon became my motivation to attend college again and switch from finance to environmental studies. In May 2021, I graduated from SJSU with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Restoration and Resource Management. Dr. Russell’s Forest Ecology class at SJSU inspired the love of redwoods in me. For my final project in Senior Seminar, I studied the initial response of several tree species in Big Basin redwood forest that was decimated by the 2020 CZU wildfire. I do strongly believe that our relationship with nature is reciprocal and we have the responsibility of returning the gift of the Earth. Redwood forests have endured a hundred years of cruel logging and are now facing threats of global climate change, wildfires and urban development. For my graduate thesis, I hope to be able to study the impact of human-induced disturbances on redwood forests and help restore and protect these awe-inspiring giants.

In my spare time, I do restoration work as a volunteer at Ulistac Natural Area, a 40-acre undeveloped land in the city of Santa Clara. Besides my passion for the environment, astrophysics fascinates me the most and I can’t wait to find out what the James Webb Space Telescope is going to reveal about the universe we live in. My hobbies are hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking, and attending live music performances. I also have a goal of visiting all national parks in the U.S. within my lifetime.

Michelle Mandly

My name is Michelle Mandly and I grew up in equal parts on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Growing up I always had spent time either on the coast or in the Appalachian Mountains which gave way to my love of the outdoors and the involvement of its management. As an adult, I moved and lived in southwest Florida. While living there, I saw firsthand the effect of nutrient runoff and its interaction with Karenna brevis, an abundant cyanobacteria, that multiplied under certain conditions resulting in harmful algae blooms that caused not only environmental implications but financial problems for many people along the coast. I focused my senior thesis at Sacramento State University on agricultural nutrient runoff and mitigation practices pertaining to Southwest Florida and the Caloosahatchee River. I intend to continue my education on mitigation practices and focus my master’s thesis on current nutrient water-related problems here in California. Throughout my college career, I have also obtained certifications in geology and geographic information systems and have spent time working with Living Arroyos and East Bay Regional Park District doing creek clean-ups and habitat restoration projects. 

When it comes to hobbies I enjoy traveling, reading, and gaming. My family and I often meet up at various locations and hike/backpack multiple times a year. An interesting fact about me is that I had lost kidney function in 2015 which resulted in end-stage renal failure and myself performing peritoneal dialysis daily. I received a successful kidney transplant from my mother Barbara at UC Davis Medical Center on August 24th, 2015, the same week I started my college career.

Lindsey Marsh

My name is Lindsey Marsh and I am a San Jose native. I didn’t go camping or hiking often growing up, but I do have fond memories of getting together with my extended family at our local parks. As I grew older, my interests in outdoor recreation pulled me closer to the natural environment. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Recreation at San Francisco State University in 2016. While completing my degree, I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Nina Roberts on two research projects regarding visitor use/non-use at San Mateo and Marin County parks. We conducted focus groups in low-income communities throughout the counties to learn about the different types of constraints and barriers to county park visitation. Listening to these experiences opened my eyes to the inequities that are prevalent throughout the SF Bay Area and it propelled me to pursue work that would benefit vulnerable communities.

Since graduating, I continued to work with Dr. Roberts on several research opportunities. In 2018, our research team conducted a study in support of Assembly Bill 250 with the California Coastal Conservancy, Coastal Commission, and California State Parks to investigate effective national models and possible strategies to expand overnight opportunities along the California coast for low-to-moderate income families. This project examined existing facilities and identified potential new opportunities to enhance coastal access and recreation for all Californians. The data are currently being used to influence future projects and funding.
 
At SJSU, I plan to focus on pro-environmental behavior, environmental education, and environmental justice. I am interested in studying socially vulnerable communities within the SF Bay Area and their environmental identities to develop strategies for improving environmental education programs and teaching community members to become advocates.

Most of my spare time is devoted to my dog. We love to go on hikes every weekend and backpack in the Sierra during the summer. I am also a lifelong San Jose Sharks fan! The happiest day of my life will be when the Sharks win the Stanley Cup (don’t tell my fiancé).

Ann McMillan

My home biome is temperate rain forest, favorite california vegetation type is coastal sage scrub, my favorite bird is the American dipper, and the greatest plant genera are Quercus and Calochortus. My favorite population is the California slender salamanders in my garden. My favorite organism is always the one I am looking at right this minute. You know the hiker who is never hiking because they are always drawing a picture, keying a plant, or watching a bird? That’s me.

I come from La Honda, California and currently live in Mountain View. I have worked as a birder, science illustrator, fine artist and teacher. As an undergraduate, I studied science illustration, environmental studies, and biology at UC Santa Cruz.  I am starting a Master's degree in fall of 2023 to work in climate action and ecology. I'm interested in urban and wildlands forestry as well as restoration ecology.

Our urban forests will be critical for mitigating the damages of climate pollution and biodiversity loss. I hope my thesis will advocate for an ecological approach to urban horticulture in the built environment. Sponsoring ecosystem engineers, such as American Beaver, to do local restoration work would be interesting as well. Dr. Klock will be my advisor since my project will focus on restoration ecology.

I can identify birds by song, learned to key plants in high school, and have spent too much time on rollerskates.

Rebecca Mina

Hello my name is Rebecca Mina. I was born and raised in Stockton, California. I attended San Joaquin Delta College for three years and transferred to CSU East Bay where I earned my bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a minor in biology. At East Bay, I completed a project looking at the input/output of dissolved inorganic carbon ( DIC) at the Eden’s Landing salt marsh near the campus. I formulated three hypotheses to better understand the relationship between the salt marsh and the amount of DIC going in and out of the wetlands. I especially enjoyed collecting pore water samples at the marsh since this allowed me to better grasp my project, which is what I look forward to do more of during the masters program! I also did a project in an environmental impact course involving the hypothetical impacts of placing solar panels on a desert. Here, we determined how much the installment of the solar panels would impact the desert on areas such as flora/fauna, noise pollution, and the cultural impacts. For my thesis, I am very interested in researching topics such as environmental impact analysis or environmental restoration. I also would enjoy researching topics related to water or soil quality since I touched on this area during my undergraduate too.

My hobbies include anime, manga, reading books, listening to music, spending time with my friends, and working on puzzles! I also like matcha flavored drinks/snacks and turtles ! A fun fact about me is that I have three pets, which are my two dogs, Cosmo and Bella, and my pet turtle Princess.

Gayatri Mujumdar

I am an Indian who has had the privilege of moving across India while growing up. I relocated to a new place every 2 years, changing schools, meeting new people, adapting to different climates, and connecting with diverse religions, cultures and demographics, all of which have played a great part in shaping me and developing my career. I pursued my undergraduate degree in Architecture from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, India. Post my bachelor’s I was working at Artha Studio, Pune for 2 years, a sustainable design firm in India, where my thinking was immensely shaped towards being resource efficient, environmentally sustainable and devising possibilities so that human well-being is achieved with minimal environmental footprint. This insight led me to pursue a diploma in “Sustainable management of natural resources and nature conservation” from the Ecological Society, Pune, India. It enhanced my understanding of the connections between humans and nature, economy, livelihoods and conservation and I aspired to transform my career ambition towards planning for the environment leading me to pursue my Master’s in Urbanism (urban planning and design) at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands. It was here in a country that proclaims to be built by the Dutch people; since the whole country was a swamp originally, I realized what it means to live with nature. I was exposed to a variety of environmentally friendly ways of living; public transport being the major one and if you find someone speeding on a bicycle or running to class with a helmet on, that would be me!!

While I had an amazing time exploring the Dutch landscapes for academic projects that were based on topics such as wellbeing, circular economy, SDGs, climate adaptation and sea level rise. My master’s thesis was based on improving the resilience capacities of a city called Otsuchi, in Japan that was affected by the March 2011 Tsunami. This project had a profound impact on my conscience about why nature plays a central role in the cognitive process of human development. Having recently immigrated to California and observing firsthand the American gift to Urbanism- ‘The sprawl’, I am again drawn back to academia at SJSU to pursue my second master’s in environmental studies to find solutions the environmentalist way….!!!

A sustainability advocate at heart and an eco-driven urbanist, I am also a licensed architect with COA(council of architecture, India) and an associate-level IGBC (Indian green building council) certified professional also from India. An interesting thing about me, I started my own architectural company at the age of 23. My hobbies include gardening, currently, I am growing basil, oregano, rosemary, curry leaves, holy basil, coriander, mint and some flowering plants. I also love baking, going on hikes and biking around in the city.

Mai Nguyen

I grew up around areas of San Jose, CA for the majority of my life. Ever since my childhood years, being outdoors and exploring new places has consistently been a keen interest of mine. With the combination of my outdoor childhood experiences and the education I received throughout those years, I had the idea fairly early on that I wanted to study the Earth’s systems. Along my academic course, I became intrigued by human interaction and mental processes, leading me to obtain my undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in legal studies from San Jose State University. Nevertheless, environmental issues and topics, specifically relating to the ocean, continues to be the field I want to focus my attention. As an environmental studies graduate student, I plan on examining how the legal system is taking part in preserving the ocean, and engaging in ways to reduce human impact on the marine environment. The issues of overfishing and plastic pollution in the ocean are areas I am aiming to tailor my research.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my dog, hiking, photography, swimming, and any outdoor activities. A fun fact about myself is that I nearly drowned three times but I am still really eager to explore different aspects of the ocean.

Amairani Oronia Ortega

I was born in Zacatecas, Mexico and was raised in San José, California where I had the privilege of experiencing the city’s diverse cultures. I enjoy spending time in nature, baking for my family and friends, and can commonly be found glued to a good book. My parent’s instilled a strong work ethic in me and inspire me to be courageous and advocate for those who cannot themselves. Recently, I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Climate Change Strategies from San José State University. My interest in environmentalism began in high school where I first learned about the basics in resource management, restoration, and climate change impacts through various media and literature. Having a background in social activism and organizing, I began to notice the disparities in impacts that different communities faced when dealing with pollution and health risks from environmental events and disasters. This propelled me to take a specific interest in environmental justice so I could contribute to the research and solutions of lower socio-economic communities that face environmental problems. During my time as an undergrad, I completed a policy analysis on different approaches to reduce groundwater pollution in the Central Valley from shale fracking. As a graduate student, I look forward to researching the overall health impacts that pesticide use have on agricultural workers, specifically reproductive issues women in the field face due to exposure of certain chemicals.

Fun fact: My favorite place is the beach, rain or shine, and I have a mini library of over 180+ books

Mayra Pelagio 

I grew up in rural Mexico and migrated to the U.S when I was thirteen, I studied high school in East San Jose- Yerba Buena H.S. I have a B.S in Environmental Science and Management and a minor in Wildlife Conservation Biology from UC Davis. During my undergraduate career I spent two summers working in Colorado with a program that brought Latinx families outdoors. As a program coordinator I planned several overnight camping trips for families. During these trips I guided recreational activities including hikes, mountain biking, fishing, and archery for all ages, fun fact- I’m a certified archery trainer. It is my firm belief that nature and outdoor spaces should be accessible to everyone, and that the environmental community should focus on creating resources to promote diversity and inclusion.  For this reason, after graduating I became an independent contractor and worked with environmental non-profits to organize outdoor activity events for the Latinx community in Woodland, Sacramento and Davis region. I am highly passionate about conservation biology; I’m especially interested in amphibians, reptiles and birds. For my studies I’d like to focus in conservation biology and the accessibility underrepresented communities have to outdoor spaces. In my free time I volunteer with social justice groups, lobby for policies at the state capitol, and attend rallies.

Tanay Pradhan

I was born and raised right here in the Bay Area and have always had a fascination with the natural world and being outside. Whether it be rewatching the Planet Earth Documentary Series every few weeks as a child or my yearly scuba diving adventures, I take any and all opportunities to see and explore new landscapes and environments. These interests eventually led me to complete a B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection from Cal Poly SLO in 2022. During my undergraduate time, I discovered a passion for studying air and noise pollution, hazardous waste, and environmental injustice. While completing my degree, I had the opportunity to work with the California Military Department and many California Central Coast jurisdictions to update Military Department’s comprehensive waste management plan. Since graduating, I have had the chance to grow my passion working for Kimley-Horn as a CEQA/NEPA Air Quality, Health Risk, and Noise consultant.  As a graduate student, I hope to continue growing my knowledge on the impacts that air pollution has on vulnerable communities in California. Specifically, researching multipollutant health risk approaches to analyzing cancer risk impacts on communities and how CEQA can more effectively address air quality impacts. I hope that with my Masters at SJSU, we can get one step closer to a healthier and cleaner environment for everyone! 

Outside of school and work, my hobbies include playing as much soccer as possible, hiking, and watching movies. I am also completely obsessed with watching soccer and have been a lifelong Liverpool fan. I even wake up for those 4 A.M. games!

Raji Rajesh

I have always been passionate about nature. It began early in my childhood with my mother teaching simple practices she implemented around our house such as growing vegetables and fruits, reusing instead of buying new things and not wasting food. I pursued an undergraduate degree in Engineering from Bangalore, India, and then worked in the IT industry for 9 years in India. Even though I worked in IT, my passion for nature and the environment did not die down. I participated in volunteering activities to raise awareness about waste segregation in Bangalore, practice eco-friendly tactics around my household. My hobbies include hiking, gardening and cooking. My favorite hiking trails in the Bay area are the PG&E trail in Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and Mission Peak in Fremont. I am a novice gardener and dream to have a bigger vegetable garden, big enough to provide at least a few veggies for my cooking needs. It pains me to see the havoc created on the environment by us, humans. For instance, oceans of plastic affecting sea life, Industrialization leading to pollution and lesser green cover, wastage of food, chemicals almost everywhere around us and in the food we eat. Pondering over these issues, I decided to change my career path from IT to an environment related career. Taking few courses in Environmental Studies at De Anza College further confirmed that I had made the right decision to pursue Masters in Environmental Studies. My goal is to make an impact on the environment through educating society on current environmental issues, a better understanding of environmental policies and speaking up for environmental justice.

Fun fact is when I go hiking with my friends on the PG&E trail, we keep joking about if we encounter a mountain lion it will make us complete the hike in record time!

Sanjana Ramakrishna

Hello, I’m Sanjana. I come from India which is a land of villages. I was born and brought up in-the huge farms of my grandparents in India where Agriculture is the main occupation. My outdoor playing was all about cultivation activities along with my cousins. Apart from enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, the two blessings of God, I was also fascinated looking at the tall trees.  I was fortunate enough to learn all the traditional methods of cultivation and growing trees at a very young age.

I finished my schooling and bachelor’s degree in engineering in Bangalore, India. During the summer breaks of my undergraduate program, I had the great opportunity to work as Wildlife Educator for school kids in the thick forest of Karnataka, India.  I also had the privilege to attend in-depth informative seminars and live sessions about various species and their origin which helped me realize my love for nature and its conservation. Once I realized where my heart lies, there was no looking back. I went on to attend various research programs related to wildlife species in national parks of India. I also worked as GIS intern in an NGO called “ATREE” where my focus was in preventing fire accidents in the Bandipur National Forest, India. The most memorable and exciting part of my student life was volunteering in the “SAVE THE FOREST” campaign team which eventually helped me in designing “FOREST MONITORING SYSTEMS” as a final year project of Engineering course.

On the personal front, I got married in 2021 and relocated to the United States as my husband works in Silicon Valley.  Upon realizing my passion for nature, my husband encouraged me to explore new avenues to enhance my knowledge in Environmental Science. My hobbies are Dancing, gardening, and playing sports such as badminton, tennis. I also love exploring new hikes and outdoor sports.

Jose Ruiz

I graduated from San Jose State University in the spring of 2022, earning a degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Sustainable Water Management. Having grown up in Alviso I have a loving passion for environmental conservation and restoration, particularly in water sustainability. Throughout my academic journey, I focused my research and coursework on various water management and conservation aspects. This included studying hydrology, water policy, and sustainable practices. My commitment to understanding and safeguarding water sources stems from a deep-seated appreciation for my hometown's natural beauty and ecological significance. Beyond academia, my interests are diverse and reflect my multifaceted personality. I love to travel and spend time with my family, science, math, history, and art, I find joy in continuous discovery. Nature holds a special place in my heart, offering solace and inspiration during outdoor adventures that reconnect me with the natural world and its delicate balance. Looking ahead, I am eager to apply my knowledge and experiences to contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation efforts. Whether through research, advocacy, or community engagement.

Fun facts about me: I'm the youngest of four siblings, toughened by my love for sports despite enduring multiple bone fractures, ligament tears, and muscle strains. I've explored 15 countries across three continents, with four road trips across Mexico under my belt. On my bucket list is to visit Australia, The Golopogos, and See the Northern Lights.

Sherilyn Reinhart

I was born in rural Elk Grove and spent my teenage years in the small gold rush town of Placerville, CA. My four siblings and I spent the majority of our childhood outside tending goats, chasing roosters, fishing in the delta and seasonally hunting deer. (Naturally, I became a vegetarian and moved to San Francisco after high school). For the better part of a decade I worked, traveled, volunteered and attended community colleges before transferring to The University of Hawaii at Mānoa (UH), where I received a Bachelor of Science in Ethnobotany.

While at UH, I worked in the Hynson Fungal Ecology Lab. It was through this experience that I saw myself as a young scientist for the first time. I assisted in elucidating which mycorrhizal partner the endemic Hawaiian orchid, Anoectochilus sandvicensis, is dependent upon for germination. Using the molecular skills I learned from this project, I applied for and was awarded a university grant to study the fungal symbiont of the Hawaiian lichen, Cladonia skottsbergii.

As a graduate student I hope to travel the mycelial web and gather the skills to become a well-rounded researcher and community educator. I’m interested in examining how common practices on organic farms impact and interact with the health of the soil ecosystem. I am particularly interested in exploring carbon farming as an avenue for sequestering atmospheric carbon.

Outside of academia I am happiest hiking with my young child and husband, baking off a loaf of sourdough, raising plants from seed or having a nice cup of coffee. This past year I fell in love with Indigo dyeing and am now teaching myself how to quilt. I’m also trying to get back to my own rural roots.

Diana Saavedra

I like to begin my story with my parents’ for theirs is such a huge part of my own. Born and raised in Guatemala, they were both forced to flee government corruption, poverty, and overall violence in the early 1980s. In 1983, they met in East Los Angeles where they soon got married and had three girls- me being the last born. My status as a first generation Guatemalan-American has always been very special to me and has shaped a big part of my identity and politics.

In 2017, I left sunny Southern California and moved to the Bay Area. Here, I earned my bachelor’s in Ethnic Studies with a concentration in Latinx Studies at CSUEB. I fell in love with my studies for it allowed me to gain an understanding of the effects and dynamics of various social issues.

I am a firm believer that environmental problems and social problems are interlaced, thus cannot be separated. Consequently, I have become passionate about advocating for the most vulnerable communities and their local environments. And so, I am pursuing a M.S. in Environmental Studies at SJSU. My research interests include working with people who are directly affected by their rapidly changing environments and how they are adapting to new social and environmental issues. Although climate change will eventually affect everyone, I am specifically interested in working with marginalized and vulnerable communities that are already paying the consequences of irresponsible and unsustainable human practices.

Some of my hobbies include reading, drawing, hiking, riding my bike, and hanging out with my partner and our two dogs. I also love to travel! This summer I visited Cuba and Mexico and had such a great time.

Fun Fact: I am super into astrology and will love to nerd out if anyone else is interested!

Ingrid Salazar

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, which most people simply call L.A. My parents are El Salvadorian and immigrated to the U.S. as young adults. Their wild stories about the civil war in El Salvador and their journey to the U.S. have motivated me to pursue a higher education. I recently graduated from SJSU with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Restoration and Resource Management. I am excited to further my education with the department that has already taught me so much!

My environmental journey began my freshman year of high school after watching the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. It was the first time I learned about climate change and my thought-life immediately became post-apocalyptic. My English professor helped me brainstorm ideas to create change instead of living in dread of the future. I began to notice that after every sports practice and game, students would leave plastic water bottles and trash on the fields. I decided to pick up the trash during lunch and my teacher would help me recycle the plastic bottles. My peers gave me the lovely nickname “janitor”, but I was unfazed because I was so passionate about making a difference. Eventually, our trash clean-up became a class initiative! Since then, I have helped with many organizations such as Tree People, Save the Bay, CommUniverCity, the California Native Garden Foundation, and the Center of Development and Recycling, just to name a few.

My research interests include energy, life cycle assessments, and industrial ecology. I am confident these fields will create solutions for resource management and waste reduction. I believe that our society needs to learn how to implement a circular economy model in order to reach our sustainability goals. 

My hobbies include cuddling with my cat, running, hiking, scrolling through Pinterest, and taking pictures of clouds! I am also an avid yelper. I enjoy exploring the app and finding new restaurants, hiking spots, and dessert places to try.  A fun fact about me is, I love to teach (force) my friends and family how to recycle, especially when they tell me, “It’s too hard”.

Anjali Sharma

I grew up in the state of Haryana, located in northern India. I have always been one of those students, who always liked reading interesting facts that amazed me, and most often I loved experimenting and applying the interesting factual information given in the little boxes in the corners of science book pages to real life. My family identified my inclination towards the field of science in the Fourth-grade, when I read an experiment in my brother’s Eighth-grade science book, and I made a science project for the school fair and ended up receiving the First prize.

I did my undergraduate degree with Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry as my major subjects, after which I pursued a post-graduate diploma in Environmental Education. I passionately worked for the welfare of animals, particularly dogs and cows. I fostered several dogs in my home and adopted one of them too. During the difficult times of Covid, I worked towards maintaining the level of education for underprivileged students in the neighborhood by providing them with resources and home tuition when the conditions got safer. I also worked as a volunteer intern with the Muskurahat Foundation, which works in the same field on a larger scale and crowdfunded money for the cause.

For my professional goals, I want to fulfill my wish of moving away from the comfort of my home and pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, a field in which I have a profound interest and also feel passionate. I stand strongly for the belief that whatever resources we are using are being granted to us by the past generation and are being borrowed from the share of future generations. I wish to enhance my knowledge and skills during and after this master’s degree in the field of sustainability and energy resources concerning agriculture and development in developing and underdeveloped countries.

I love being outdoors in green areas that are full of vegetation and abundant with different species of organisms. Apart from it, I enjoy strength training 5-6 days a week.

A fun fact about me is that I can probably deadlift your body weight and I prefer mountains over beaches.

Allison Solis 

I was born and raised in San Clemente; a sleepy beach town in Southern California. I graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Environmental Restoration and Resource Management. Throughout my undergraduate years I loved being involved on campus with various organizations such as: A.L.M.A.S. (Academics, Leaders, and Mentors, Aiming for Success), the Center for Development of Recycling, the Environmental Resource Center, Chicano Commencement, and Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority, Incorporated. I was also an education staff intern at the Guadalupe River Park where I would help teach kids about nature and the environment. I am excited to pursue my studies as a graduate student following a different passion: environmental justice. My calling would be to help protect and restore the environment, help strengthen communities that are impacted by environmental justice issues, and help prevent environmental justice issues altogether.

Also, I love to be outdoors and my hobbies are: running, hiking, and reading. In the future, I hope to travel around the world, so far I’ve traveled to two countries: Guatemala and Mexico, my parents’ home countries.

Bradley (Brad) Speno

Hello, I’m Brad and I grew up in Gilroy and received my bachelors degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado. For the past 5 or so years I have worked as a field science teacher at a San Jose park and wildlife refuge, a bird counter in different locations, a salamander and snake wrangler, and most recently a plant mapper. 

After independant literature review, I have decided to research avian communities such as songbirds, shorebirds, and marsh birds in the context of salt marsh restoration at SJSU because I am interested in which factors are most important in a restoration project's success. So few wetland ecosystems remain intact even though they are considered so important in buffering against climate change and providing habitats for wildlife communities, which is why restoration success is important to me. 

In my free time I like to get outside as much as possible. I have recently dabbled in rock climbing, bike riding, and I have always liked to snowboard in the winter. I also like seeing live music, traveling, and consuming streamable content.

DeNarae Stewart

Hi there! The name’s DeNarae. I was born and raised in Riverside County, CA and moved to San Jose 5 years ago to get my BS.

I graduated from SJSU with a BS in Environmental Studies and a minor in Environmental Impact Assessment. Growing up in a low-income community, environmental education was not a large part of everyday life. However, that didn’t stop me from falling in love with and caring for the nature around me. It began with a simple love for rocks but grew into full-blown curiosity after learning about biofuels. I wanted to know everything about the Earth and what it was capable of. Before I knew it, I became aware of not only the beauty of the world but also the negative impacts human life had on it. Since then, I’ve jumped at all opportunities having to do with habitat restoration and waste management. For my thesis, I hope to address the cradle-to- grave life cycle of packaging materials and the effect this life cycle has on the environment.

In my free time, you’re 99% guaranteed to find me reading either comics or sci-fi fantasy novels. For the other 1%, I’m likely to be playing with my fur babies, Bambi and Poseidon, or reorganizing some part of my home. A fun fact about me is that I have ADHD, which pretty much means I’m an unorganized filing cabinet full of random information. So ask me a question, I just might know the answer!

Lacey Strong

I am a Wildlife Management and Conservation graduate from Humboldt State University. As an undergraduate I interned at two wildlife rehabilitation and educations centers: Wildlife Images in Grants Pass, Oregon, and California Wildlife Center in Malibu, California. While working at these centers, I provided care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. I also assisted with wildlife education, guided tours, and helped with many youth camps. 

After receiving my Bachelor of Science, I worked two seasons as a Wildlife Biological Science Technician for the U.S. Forest Service. I worked in the Shasta Trinity National Forest where I surveyed northern spotted owls, peregrine falcons, northern goshawks, western pond turtles, foothill yellow-legged frogs, fishers, and American beavers. I also did backcountry river surveys for salmonid species. Additionally, I assisted with a MAPS bird banding station. I have research interests in population ecology, predator-prey interaction, and the impact urbanizations has had and will have on wildlife.

It has been through my journey as a wildlife student, intern, enthusiast and biological science technician that I have obtained the desire to become the most educated and well-rounded Wildlife Biologist I can be.  This graduate program will grant me the ability to use the knowledge I have obtained to date, but more importantly open doors to a future that will allow me to help preserve and protect the fragile wildlife ecosystems I am fortunate to study. During my free time I’m an avid water skier and I relax painting. I also find myself backpacking, hiking and birding.

Yankit (Sam) Suen

I was born and raised in Hong Kong, China. When I was in secondary school in Hong Kong, I had the opportunity to conduct field research in various locations, which made me strongly appreciate the environment. Particularly between humans and the environment. When I arrived in San Francisco, the weather and the scenery shocked and surprised me. At that time, I want to learn more about this location.

In the spring of 2023, I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Geography from the University of San Francisco. During my few years at SFSU, I took courses on different natural resources, such as trees and soil. Also, I learned about GIS, extreme weather, and global warming, and I learned how to manage these natural resources as well as how the city's government takes care of the environment. The more I learn at SFSU, the more interested I become in soil and plants, particularly climate change. Since trees and soil comprise the majority of the earth's elemental makeup.

Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I believe our actions and the environment are interconnected. As we can see, soil, forests, and other natural resources are being depleted annually; therefore, I want to determine what we can do to prevent this or to demonstrate the significance of trees and soil. In the master's program at San Jose State University, my research focuses on how to plant trees and soil without harm from human activity or invasive species. I do believe that forests and soil can help us prevent the problem of climate change and that these are the things we can preserve for future generations so that they can comprehend the past.

My hobbies include reading and writing stories, hanging out with friends, and trying new foods. And enjoy attempting new tasks! I am willing to attempt anything that piques my interest! same as my research thesis, so please don't hesitate to ask me if you need assistance.

Olivia Trevino

Hello everyone! My name is Olivia Trevino, and I am a current graduate student in the Environmental Studies Program at San Jose State University (SJSU). I am a former spartan, receiving my undergraduate degree in environmental studies focusing on restoration and resource management. I graduated from SJSU in December 2019. I have extensive experience that prepared me for and has allowed me to excel in the graduate program. I was an environmental educator for a year, teaching children environmental issues.

I also helped create four new school gardens in elementary schools and develop a new curriculum for students. I also have fieldwork experience, working with the non-profit Grassroots Ecology on multiple restoration projects and Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Mercury Program investigating mercury and methylmercury in reservoirs. I currently work for the City of Palo Alto in their Watershed Protection team, where I focus on outreach for stormwater pollution prevention, pesticides, and water conservation.

I am eager to continue my work on water quality issues at SJSU by researching polyfluoroalkyl substances – known as PFAS. My graduate research investigates PFAS chemicals in recycled water in Santa Clara County and bioaccumulation in soil. Outside of school and work, I try to find time to do things I love including hiking, golfing, concerts, cooking, and cooking new foods.

A fun fact about me that most people would not know is that I taught English in Thailand for a month. One of the best experiences of my life! Thank you, and I can’t wait to share my research with the SJSU community!

David Vásquez Ospina

Hello, my name is David Vásquez, I was born and raised in Medellín, the second biggest city in Colombia. Since childhood, I had so much contact with nature because of my parents’ passion for being in the countryside. I always enjoyed being in contact with water such as the ocean and rivers and I can tell I´m a water lover; I practice swimming and scuba diving. I also always had a dog and a cat close to me and being with them is something I don’t want to miss.

I’m a Sanitary Engineer from the University of Antioquia with a specialization in environmental law, which is a short postgraduate degree in my county. Choosing Sanitary Engineering was natural for me due to my passion for understanding different biological components, the control of human activity-driven pollution, and interaction with nature. It has been a fulfilling choice, and it has made me more aware of the climate threat our planet faces every day. Since graduation, the environment has been my career focus. I have joined interdisciplinary teams in environmental consultancy and the construction and operation of infrastructure and three years ago, carbon capture and emission reduction projects, mainly focusing on reforestation and conservation. My profession has also given me the opportunity to visit different territories in Colombia (the country with the second-largest biodiversity in the world), and some other countries in Latin America. I have learned about the natural resources and ecosystems, and I could appreciate the conditions of the communities that inhabit them; the effects of the activities by their regular dynamics such as extensive cattle, artisanal mining, subsistence farming, and logging for livelihood, but also the threats they face by natural phenoms like fires and events related to weather and the effect of climate change.

As a student at SJSU, I expect to become a better advocate for climate justice and an agent of positive change, even from the academic field, playing significant roles in contributing to the development of different territories, benefiting the surrounding communities, and helping to protect and sustain the natural resources.

Mitchell Victoria  

My Name is Mitchell Victoria and I am about to begin graduate school after taking a short break during the pandemic. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. My focus on my Master’s Thesis is studying the American Badger within the Bay Area and in Santa Cruz County. I graduated in the fall quarter of 2019 and have since been on a long break until now. Before UC Santa Cruz I spend 4 years at Cabrillo College where I faced many challenges before transferring, but I persevered and received a liberal arts degree in Environmental Studies.

I was originally a wildlife biologist major but was discouraged when I discovered UCSC did not provide that major. Once I learned about Environmental Studies, I found that it was close to what I wanted to do and work in the natural sciences. The biggest mistake I make on accident is forgetting that this major has a social sciences component that includes the people in the research. I love all animals including animals from the past and future. I also enjoy socializing with everyone I meet. I love stand-up comedy because I love to laugh. I enjoy doing impressions and making other people laugh even when I’m not trying to be funny. I love to be at the beach because the ocean is my second home.

I like to hike in forests because there is less sunlight. I’m not a big fan of talking politics or religion because those topics always divides everyone. I’m also willing to be open to new experiences from learning another culture to even new methods for studying or working. I am looking forward to becoming a graduate student and am ready to embrace every obstacle along the way.

Jodeci Weems

Growing up I have always had a love for being outdoors and exploring the world around me. Whether it was collecting snails or making the backyard a campground for the night, I always knew that my career would involve learning more about the environment.  
I grew up in Riverside CA and always saw my family involved in nature. My grandma would always come home with a new animal to rehabilitate and take care of. From this is where my love for nature came. I graduated 2024 from Fresno State with my B.S in Environmental Science. While at Fresno I met the most amazing people and was able to learn so many outlets Environmental Science had to offer. I was able to perform field research and track lizards along with sampling soil and creating GIS maps for ground water. However, my last semester I was able to work in Environmental Policy something completely different than what I have ever done, and this opened my eyes to another side of environmental science. I was able to work with the City of Fresno and my University to talk with communities and the issues the wanted change in and what environmental issues had affected them the most. With this insight it led me to understanding the importance scientists have on the information being put out, and ensuring that it is being communicated effectively for everyone to understand and form their own thoughts and opinions on.  
At SJSU I plan to focus on environmental policy and outreach in relations to conservation efforts, I also hope to incorporate GIS into my stay in the program as I’ve loved working on it throughout my undergrad.  

Outside of school I love running, I competed as at Fresno State as a long and triple jumper for the track team, and I adopted a dog this year named Cinny who has become my best friend. I also love baking with my friends and family, it’s my favorite hobby.

Kate Worrell

Hello! My name is Kate Worrell and I completed my undergrad degree at Cal Poly SLO in Environmental Management and Protection. With minors in Biology, GIS, Sustainable Environments, and Studio Art. I did not set out to get so many minors but as the years went on they just kind of fell into place. Through my biology minor I took many Botany courses which led me to falling in love with plants. Especially smaller shrub plants that are native to California. Getting to research plants in California is amazing since there is so much diversity throughout the state. 

For my thesis I hope to do research around Dudleya the endangered genus of succulents native to California. Manly in regards to restoration and conservation with Dr. Metha Klock as my chair advisor. I want to research Dudleya with the hope that I can help increase their population so that one day they can get off the endangered species list. I think that there are not only gorgeous but have a very interesting history as well. They used to be in the Echiveria genus but further genetic and physical research proved that they were an entirely different genus. 

In my free time I like to watch all kinds of shows from Parks and Rec to anime like Haikyuu. I also like to play video games with my current obsessions being animal crossing and genshin impact. Not to mention I also like to play board games as well my favorite is Betrayal at House on the Hill. I also like being out in nature and exploring the open spaces around me mainly on the hunt to find Dudleya out in their natural habitat. I am so happy to be getting my Master’s at SJSU and I cannot wait to start my research!

Dawnelle Wynne

After listening to many radio programs and reading articles that have sounded the alarm that immediate action is needed to reduce the human-caused degradation of the environment, I became convinced that as many people as possible should be addressing this crisis. I am committed to directing my career into the field of environmental studies to work on solutions to reduce the effects of human-caused environmental degradation. I am excited and grateful to have been accepted as a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Studies at SJSU.

I have advanced degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from U.C. Berkeley; my work experience related to the area of research in the Department of Environmental Studies that I am primarily interested in involved solar panel manufacturing. Working in the the solar panel manufacturing field was very rewarding, as I had come to believe that it is critical to move from using fossil fuels to using alternative energy sources as part of reducing the human-caused climate crisis. 

My primary area of interest for research is in implementing strategies for photovoltaic waste management in California (to further the research conducted by Lee-Tan Lu), with Professor Mulvaney’s and Professor Olszewski’s advice. Another area that I’m very interested in is in implementing sustainable materials management strategies; I was excited to learn about the Center for the Development of Recycling that exists in the Department, directed by Professor Olszewski.

My current hobbies include attending live music performances, reading, and hanging out in the East Bay (I live in Oakland). I love travelling when I have the time. I’ve enjoyed playing a musical instrument in the past, I look forward to taking up this hobby again.

Jiacheng (Jason) Zheng

My name is Jiacheng Zheng. I was born in Shanghai, China. I obtained my bachelor’s degree of a double major biology and chemistry from the University of South Alabama in Dec. 2022. My primary major was biology, with an ecology orientation. I was interested in symbiosis, especially with double mutualism relationship species before 2020. So, I’ve taken some biology advanced classes such as animal-plant interaction, botany, dendrology etc. As an achievement, I have a taxonomy research paper describing a new species of eleutherodactylus published this year. In this research, my job is to extract DNA from liver samples and amplify them with PCR, then sequence and build the phylogenetic tree to identify the potential new species from genetic divergence.

After COVID outbreak, I have more interests in environment detection and purification. Therefore, I paid more attention to the chemistry side with an instrumental analysis approach. Which is basically about choosing the right instruments helps separate and detect analytes in different levels of aspect. For example, if I want to detect a certain metal contamination. A universal method maybe uses atomic absorption chromatography after analytes separated by HPLC. While AAS can only process one type of element at a time. Though it is cheaper, for analyte containing multiple elements, an ICP-MS would be more appropriate with consider of price and effectiveness. In my opinion, considering all situations and picking a right tool for right job is interesting.
For my research, my primary interesting is on evaluating, detection, or problem solving related to water environment. Ecology, including microecosystem and biodiversity would be my subordinate plans.

My hobby is board games such as GO, Mahjong, bang. I’m willing to learn any types of board game. In fact, I was in chess club in my high school. I’m also a big fan of strategy and simulation games. Civilization 6 and oxygen not included takes most of my leisure time.

Fun fact: I often encounter duplicate numbers. My birthday is 222, my phone number end with 586-5586.

Zhiyi (Lucy) Zhou

At the age of 15, I took a leap of faith and left my home country, arriving in the United States alone. My decision to seek new opportunities. With unwavering courage, I embarked on a path that would change my life forever. Upon arriving in the U.S., I settled in upstate New York for 3 years for my high school. I lived with an American family for 3 years, and after I graduated from high school. I still have connection with them. Upon completing high school, I continued their educational journey at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany. I was Majoring in both Environmental Science and Studio Art, I am eager to contribute to the global environment, and art has been my passion since I was a child, so I choose to study both at the same time. One significant aspect of my college life was my involvement in the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) as the vice president for 3 years. With an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Studio Art from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany, I would like to continue my educational journey in graduate school, focusing on furthering my knowledge in environmental science and making impact on conservation efforts. I made the decision to pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Science, with a specific interest in conservation biology in SJSU. I hope that in the future I can use my knowledge to contribute to the environment of the earth.

I love to go out in nature, I love hiking, skiing, laying on the beach and go into the mountains, sunrise and sunset. I have a one-year-old cat who weighs 15 pounds already and I live in Los Angeles now and will probably get another cat when I move to San Jose. In my free time, I enjoy my painting time, my favorite style is landscape painting.

About my fun fact: I have to listen to music when I'm doing something serious, otherwise I can't concentrate.

Su Zaw

Born and raised in Myanmar, I experienced firsthand the challenges of environmental degradation, deforestation, and water insecurity that affect many communities across the country.

  Myanmar is a nation rich in natural resources, yet many rural and urban areas struggle with access to clean water, sustainable infrastructure, and climate resilience.                       

Witnessing how flooding, pollution, and water scarcity impacted livelihoods in my hometown sparked my deep interest in environmental sustainability and water resource management.

Motivated to understand these challenges from a broader perspective, I pursued my B.A. in Sociology at San José State University, where I explored the connections between social systems, environmental policies, and community resilience. My studies reinforced my passion for environmental justice and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to address pressing issues such as water conservation, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development.

Now as a Master’s student in Environmental Studies at SJSU, I am particularly interested in water resource management, watershed conservation, and policy-driven solutions for equitable access to clean water. My research focuses on how climate change and urbanization impact water systems, both in California and in developing countries like Myanmar. I am eager to work on projects that address water contamination, flood management, and sustainable infrastructure development, ensuring that marginalized communities have the resources they need to adapt to environmental challenges.

Beyond my academic work, I enjoy exploring California’s national parks, engaging in environmental advocacy, and learning about different cultures. My goal is to contribute to sustainable water management solutions that bridge the gap between environmental science and social equity, both in Myanmar and on a global scale.

^{Yumna Zia}        

Hello! My name is Yumna Zia and I completed my undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley in Environmental Science. Growing up in the bay, I was surrounded by nature and loved to go hiking. My favorite animals to spot were bobcats, foxes, deer, and frogs. Because of this exposure, I was passionate about preserving the health of wildlife and improving our relationship with the ecosystem around us in a more balanced way. My childhood dream was to work with endangered cheetahs in the Sahara.

Hoping to be a wildlife journalist, I attended my undergrad at Berkeley for my bachelor’s in Environmental Science, focusing on Biology and Politics. Outside of school, I was also drawn to projects that worked to provide resources for marginalized communities. While studying at Berkeley, I worked at nonprofits and social justice organizations advocating for equity. It wasn’t until I took a class studying the history of International Environmental Politics that I learned about the different ways that systemic injustice and bias play a role in the history of our environmental policies, affecting which communities are most affected by disasters, pollution, and climate change. I became fascinated by the history and politics behind the advent of climate change refugees, and the way that we can mitigate the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations and provide justice for such communities.

After graduating, I worked at Teach for America for a little while to help close the education gap for the underprivileged children in my community. While teaching there and learning about the different struggles my students faced while trying to succeed in school, I learned that some of my students were disproportionately affected by seasonal flooding in the area, which had more affordable housing due to the instability in the region. I also noticed that a significant amount of my students dealing with this issue, which affected their schooling, were of a different demographic than the rest of my students. I started researching the factors that could have contributed to the demographic layout of the city, and looked into the knowledge gaps and potential negligence of the city in mitigating and preventing these types of concerns when it came to environmental urban planning. As I did so, I realized that teaching wasn’t enough for me when it came to making more long term and meaningful changes for the struggles my students were facing. However, I had more to learn if I wanted to make a difference. I combined my passion for social justice and my interest in environmental politics, which led me to a master’s program in SJSU’s Environmental Studies department with a focus on urban planning. 

In addition to academics, I enjoy many outdoor activities, including camping, hiking, and sports such as soccer. I also love to draw, paint, and bake. If you know me, you know I am always down for an adventure!

Cynthia Rice

I was born in Alaska and spent much of my childhood there and in Maine. My father was in the Coast Guard so I always lived near the ocean. I was exposed to biodiverse and healthy ecosystems through hiking, fly fishing, girl scouts, camping, and I developed a deep passion for all things outdoors.  I went to San José State University for my undergrad and took the Scuba Diving course for my P.E. requirement. This class turned my world upside down and I discovered that diving is the most immersive way to experience nature. I immediately applied to work at a dive shop in order to get more experience and eventually moved to Monterey in 2020. I now see myself liiving there forever! While I was still in college, I helped teach diving to people from around the world and was honored to co-lead a dive trip to Australia. I then worked on whale watching boats to accumulate the sea time required for a captains license, and now work on an electric
boat that is paving the way for new marine technologies. I have helped with kelp forest monitoring in Monterey through Reef Check and participated in
restoration projects to better understand the issues they face due to sea star wasting disease and purple sea urchin overpopulation. 

I have never met a community more in love with where they live than Monterey. They know how important it is to protect the environment and it drives the economy through ecotourism. Visitors leave Monterey with a deeper appreciation for the natural world that I hope affects the choices they make. All of my jobs have been to educate the public and try to get them to
experience something that will change their life. I have learned that I love to teach and hope that my journey through this master’s program will give me the tools to be a better educator and steward of the environment. Fun fact about me is that I have seen 15 different types of cetaceans in Monterey Bay in under three years and have a goal to see all the species that have been documented in the area.