Informing the future of the Santa Monica Airport
The City of Santa Monica Airport is uniquely situated in the midst of dense residential neighborhoods of Santa Monica and neighboring west Los Angeles. The airport opened in 1917 as…
Projects
Integrating Environmental DNA and Epigenetics as a Novel Approach for Age Classification of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a Model Organism.
Awardee: Madeleine Pacheco, first year PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department under the supervision of Dr. Paul Barber at UCLA.
Investigating blue carbon alternatives as possible offsets at the Aquarium of the Pacific
As one of the largest aquariums in the United States, the Aquarium of the Pacific wants to raise industry sustainability standards by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Since decarbonization…
Is Prey Availability a Factor in the Decline of a Bat Species in Southern California that is Synanthropic in the Rest of its Range?
Awardee: Jill Carpenter, Ph.D. candidate interested in the roosting and foraging ecology of bats, especially with regard to how various species navigate and utilize the human-altered landscapes of Southern California as well as what traits allow some species to persist while others decline.
Mapping the Ecological Legacy of Slavery and Plantations on St. Croix, USVI
Our team is collaborating with the Critical Ecology Lab to assess the impact of Danish colonial plantations on physical, chemical, and biotic aspects of St. Croix’s current ecology. St. Croix…
Plastic Policy Investigation
We are the Plastic Policy Investigation team for the 2023-2024 school year. Our team is conducting a study that seeks to assess the existing levels of adherence to the UCLA…
Prioritizing species reintroduction candidates for the California Islands
The California Islands are an archipelago located off of the coast of California and Baja California within the California Floristic Province (CFP). The islands, are a biodiversity hot-spot and home…
Reducing wastewater pollution impacts from on-site disposal systems in Hawai’i
Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs, coastal ecosystems, and the health of its residents are threatened by the Islands’ heavy reliance on on-site disposal systems (OSDSs). There are some 110,000 OSDSs across the…
Restoring degraded forest landscapes in Mbalmayo, Cameroon
Forest landscapes in Cameroon provide critical environmental services at a local, regional, and global scale. But forest ecosystems in Mbalmayo, Cameroon are under immense strain from rapid urbanization and environmental…
Reusable Container Study
We are the Reusable Container team for the 2023-2024 school year. Our team is conducting a study on the feasibility of implementing a reusable container program in UCLA dining locations…
Soil Health and Sustainable Landscaping
We are the Soil Health and Sustainable Landscaping team for the SAR 2023-2024 year. Our team is on a mission to explore the intricate world beneath our feet, exploring possible…
The Endangered Species Act at 50
At the 13th annual Public Lecture hosted by the La Kretz Center, Drs. Cat Darst, Scott Morrison, and Brad Shaffer marked the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Endangered Species Act…