Haleakalā crater — Maui, HI

My research focuses on understanding how collaborative and community-based approaches to scientific research can address local environmental challenges. I am particularly interested in engaging youth in place-based science education research that serves to protect local ecosystems and how these experiences increase students’ agency for environmental action. 

I am also interested in understanding: 1) How engaging students in place-based learning may instill an ethic of care and stewardship for the environment; 2) How place-based learning and land stewardship can serve as a source of cultural revitalization; 3) How Traditional Ecological Knowledge can inform place-based learning in an ethical and culturally-responsive manner; and 4) How place-based learning and land stewardship may mediate climate anxiety, particularly in youth.

My inspiration for this research and work stems from a deep appreciation for the natural world— a direct result of a childhood spent close to nature.

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Kīhei Elementary School Garden — Maui, HI

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Agriculture and Food security Volunteer Training (US Peace Corps) — Panauti, Nepal

Education

Ph.D., Science and Agricultural Education (Present), University of California Davis — Patwin Land | Davis​, CA

Master of Science, Environmental Studies (2019), Green Mountain College — Mohican Land | Poultney, VT

Bachelor of Science, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (2014), University of California Davis — Patwin Land | Davis​, CA

Certificate of Culinary Arts (2009), Napa Valley College — Miwok Land | St. Helena, CA.

 

Service

Peer Reviewer, Citizen Science: Theory and Practice (Present)

Convener, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Science and Society: Community and Citizen Science — Washington D.C. (2024)

Center for Land-based Learning, Student Landowner Education for Watershed Stewardship (SLEWS) Program Mentor — Woodland, California (2023-2024)

Kīhei Charter School, Environmental Club Advisor — Maui, Hawaiʻi (2021 - 2022)

Global Student Embassy, Campus Representative, University of California Davis — Davis, California / Boaco, Nicaragua (2013-2014)

Dining Services, University of California Davis, Local Foodways and Farmers Market Coordinator — Davis, California (2013)

University of California Davis, Ecological Garden Assistant — Davis, California (2012)

Edible Magazine (Shasta-Butte), Journalist (2011-2012)

World Watch Institute, Nourishing the Planet Project, Research Journalist — Washington D.C. (2011)

 

Research Projects

Project title: Youth and Community Resilience Through Landscape Stewardship, Maui, Hawaiʻi (Dissertation Research)

The Youth and Community Resilience Through Landscape Stewardship project aims to empower high school students in Maui, Hawaiʻi, with knowledge and skills for wildfire mitigation and social-ecological resilience. Following the catastrophic 2023 Lahaina fire, this project integrates Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science in a field ecology class. Students engage in hands-on activities like removing invasive species and planting native plants to create a more fire-resistant landscape. Our research examines how participation influences students’ connection to place, Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) culture, and environmental science agency. This project incorporates a community-based participatory approach to guide the collaboration between students, educators, cultural practitioners, ecologists, and education researchers. This study employs mixed methods to assess the program’s impact. This project has received support from the UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement, UC Davis Global Affairs, the UC Davis School of Education, and the UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science.

To read more about this project, please visit:

Project title: Marine Protected Area (MPA) Watch

Position: Graduate Student Researcher (2023 - Present)

MPA Watch is a statewide collaboration of 11 organizations conducting community science monitoring within and outside California's network of 124 marine protected areas. MPA Watch monitors 75 MPAs (249,146 acres in total). Since its inception in 2008, MPA Watch has trained 2,362 citizen science volunteers to observe and collect data on coastal and marine human activities. MPA Watch has collected 46,248 surveys and made 1,781,074 observations along 48,888 survey miles. MPA Watch citizen scientists are crucial to monitoring efforts as they generate quantities of monitoring data that would not be possible under current state budgets. MPA Watch is funded by the Resources Legacy Fund (RLF). 

To read more about this project, please visit:

Project title: Our Forests

Position: Graduate Student Researcher (2022 – 2023)

Our Forests is a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is a collaborative research initiative between partners from UC Davis, Sierra Streams Institute Sierra Stream Institute (a watershed nonprofit), and the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools. This collaborative aims to empower 3rd to 5th-grade teachers and students in Nevada County, California, to study local forests for fire risk. Beginning in 2019, the project focuses on teacher training, student involvement in environmental research, data analysis, and community engagement and aims to create a replicable model for other educational programs focused on forest monitoring. Our Forests addresses the need to monitor and steward the wildfire-prone landscapes in Northern California and seeks to inspire youth-driven environmental science research.

To read more about this project, please visit:

Experience

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Spring, 2024)

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Winter, 2024)

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Fall, 2023)

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Summer, 2023)

Teaching Assistant | Environmental Science Education; Educational Psychology | University of California, Davis (Spring, 2023)

Teaching Assistant | Introduction to Schools; Elementary Science Education - Pre-Service Teacher Educational Program | University of California, Davis (Winter, 2023)

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Fall 2022)

Graduate Student Researcher | Center for Community and Citizen Science | University of California, Davis (Summer 2022)

Science Teacher and Researcher | Kīhei Charter School | Hawaiʻi Department of Education (2021 - 2022)

3rd Grade Teacher | Hawaiʻi Department of Education (2017-2022)

Development Coordinator and Garden-based Educator | Grow Some Good | Maui, HI (2017-2020)

Instructor | University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (2018-2019)

Agriculture and Food Security Volunteer | U.S. Peace Corps | Nepal (2016)

 

AWARDS

U.C. Davis Global Grad Research Grant (2024)

North American Congress for Conservation Biology Conference Scholarship (2024)

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Award Recipient (2024)

U.C. Davis Graduate Group in Education Conference Scholarship (Spring, 2024)

Public Impact Research Initiative Grant, UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement (2024-2025)

U.C. Davis Graduate Group in Education Fellowship Award (Winter, 2024)

U.C. Davis Community and Citizen Science in Conservation Fellowship (2023-2024)

U.C. Davis Public Scholars for the Future Fellowship (2023-2024)

North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Scholarship (2023)

U.C. Davis Graduate Group in Education Research Fellowship Award (Spring, 2023)

U.C. Davis Graduate Group in Education Fellowship Award (Spring, 2023)

U.C. Davis Graduate Group in Education Fellowship Award (Winter, 2023)

National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Graduate Student Committee Scholarship (2023)

University of California Davis, First Year Fellowship Award (2022)

Coverdell Peace Corps Fellowship (2017)

Masami Scholarship (2017)

United States Presidential Community Service Award (2014)

Dairyville Orchard Festival Scholarship (2010-2014)

Andy Peek Scholarship (2014)

University of California Davis, Provost Award (2013)

Francis J. Saunders Scholarship (2012-2013)

American Association of University Women Scholarship (2012)