We are excited to invite you to celebrate the Environmental Studies Program’s 55th Anniversary! This two-day event will feature the 41st Annual Steven Manley Memorial Lecture, an alumni-student reception, and a morning session introducing you to the next generation of Environmental Studies faculty and students. We hope you can join us for this special occasion!

Please RSVP by May 15, 2025

Friday, May 23, 2025

41st Annual Steven Manley Memorial Lecture

4-5:30pm | Girvetz 1004

Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry & Falasco Chair in Earth Sciences at the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced

Digging Deeper: Unearthing Solutions for Climate Change, Advancing Science, and Nurturing Inclusive STEM

See full details and learn more about the Steven Manley Memorial Lecture.

 

Environmental Studies 55th Anniversary Alumni & Student Reception

5:30-7:00pm | Girvetz Courtyard

Join us for a special alumni-student reception! Connect with fellow Environmental Studies alumni and current students over delicious drinks and appetizers. This is a great opportunity to network, share experiences, and celebrate our community. We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, May 24, 2025

The Next Generation of Environmental Studies

8:30-12:30pm | Marine Science Auditorium (MSI 1302)

8:30-9:15am | Bagels and Coffee
9:30-10:20am | Faculty-Student Research Flash Talks: From Scholarship to Practice

  • Prof. Iris Holzer, The Central Coast S.W.A.M.P.: Soils, Weathering, and Mineral Processes
  • Prof. Lisa Sideris, De-Extinction is Impossible and Immoral
  • Prof. Rafael Schmitt, River System Science for Sustainable Water Infrastructure
  • Prof. Grace Wu, Low-Conflict Strategies for Getting to Gigawatt-Scale Renewable Deployment
  • Sebastian Cox, Undergraduate Researcher with Postdoc Madalsa Singh, Electricity Retail Rate Design
  • Rebecca Martinez, Undergraduate Researcher with Prof. Iris Holzer, Learning From the Ground Up: Mammalian Bioturbators, Soil, and Undergraduate Education
  • Water Academy and the Hydro Club, Introduction to the Water Academy and the Hydro Club

10:30-11:20am | Student Documentary Shorts: Stories of Connection, Justice, and Care
Discover the inspiring work of our students through a special screening of their environmental films. This session offers a unique glimpse into the issues that matter the most to the next generation of environmental leaders.

Featured films include:

  • The Kelp We Breathe (2024) 
    Natalie Aymond, Tatum Davis, Taylor Ortiz, and Jack Phillips
    In Northern California, artists and environmental advocates confront the widespread loss of kelp forests—capturing what's left through their work and calling for ecological restoration.
  • The Hands that Feed Us (2025)
    Maya Bengard, Ellia Boostani, Maya Gilbert, and Bella Ivory
    In California’s coastal heartland, four women organize and advocate for undocumented farmworkers, confronting a political climate increasingly hostile to immigrants and demanding justice in the fields.
  • Otter 841 (2023)
    Logan Asperin, Lauren Barley, Rachel Burnett, Vince Cuenco, and Macielle Villasenor
    When a surfboard-stealing otter goes viral, she becomes the center of a global media frenzy—raising questions about human-wildlife conflict, protection, and freedom.

11:30-12:30pm | Student Flash Talks: Young Leaders of Environmental Studies

  • Sedona Domino, Evaluating the Sustainability and Feasibility of Octopus Aquaculture
  • Angie Gulizia, Perceptions of Prescribed Burning in the Santa Barbara Wildland-Urban Interface
  • Izzy Chang, ‘Powerful Knowledges of Resistance': Listening to Women of Color Feminism in Environmental Justice Movements
  • Makayla Beland, Root to Table Cooking Series: Planet and Pocket-Friendly Vegetarian Meals for College Students
  • Lauren Buyalos and Kaili Mikami, FLOW: Facilitating Lab Optimization and Waste
  • Stephen Bond and Ella Graban, Re-envisioning Recycling: Recycling Thin Film Plastic Waste in the UCSB Community
  • Alyssa Boucher and Phoebe Wagner, Grounds for Growth: A Sustainable Coffee Initiative

Since Saturday’s celebration ends by 12:30 pm, we invite you to take advantage of the rest of your weekend by exploring the beauty of Santa Barbara. Whether you choose to relax on the beach, savor local cuisine, or reconnect with fellow Gauchos, there’s no shortage of things to see and do. Make the most of your visit and discover all that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Special Field Trip Opportunity: Condor's Hope Ranch Weekend Work Party

All Day | Condor's Hope Ranch, Cuyama Valley

Spend a day volunteering at Condor's Hope Vineyard in exchange for food and wine. The vineyard uses traditional dry-farm practices to produce complex wines while protecting the environment and conserving water. Cost is $50/person. Registration is limited to six individuals.

 

 

Sign up for EcoGauchos here!

We have a new networking platform for students, alumni, and friends, and the environment at UC Santa Barbara. We encourage you to register to access exciting opportunities, build connections, and reach out to friends, old and new.