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!
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.