The Bren School of Environmental Science and Management plays a leading role in researching environmental issues, identifying and solving environmental problems, and training research scientists and environmental-management professionals. Underscoring the school's mission is the understanding that human systems and Earth’s natural systems are inextricably linked and that any effort to address sustainability of Earth's systems requires simultaneous study of the human actions that profoundly affect them. As master's students at the Bren School, our curriculum grounds us not only in the natural sciences, but also in the economic, legal, management, and policy perspectives of environmental issues. This rigorous multidisciplinary curriculum is accompanied by group thesis project to prepare master's students to address and manage complex environmental issues around the globe.
Season Martin
Season brings to the group three years of experience working in riparian restoration management with the Tamarisk Coalition. This experience included leading programs such as the Cross Watershed Initiative, to increase scientific collaboration within and between watersheds. Season has a BA in Geology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College. Her commitment to healthy rivers, specifically in the Colorado River Basin, is evident from the many environmental posts she has held throughout her undergraduate and professional careers. Her work as a river guide and with the Grand Canyon Trust has given her a strong personal connection to river health and conservation as well as a holistic understanding of the impact of climate change and over allocation of water resources on river flows and riparian health.
Season brings to the group three years of experience working in riparian restoration management with the Tamarisk Coalition. This experience included leading programs such as the Cross Watershed Initiative, to increase scientific collaboration within and between watersheds. Season has a BA in Geology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College. Her commitment to healthy rivers, specifically in the Colorado River Basin, is evident from the many environmental posts she has held throughout her undergraduate and professional careers. Her work as a river guide and with the Grand Canyon Trust has given her a strong personal connection to river health and conservation as well as a holistic understanding of the impact of climate change and over allocation of water resources on river flows and riparian health.
Julia Morton
Julia’s interest in safeguarding the Earth’s water resources likely stems from her interest in sustainable foods systems and passion for playing in the wilderness. Since graduating from Colorado College, Julia developed a holistic lens for environmental issues through her diverse collection of experiences. Julia has traveled extensively while working on organic farms and on skiing and climbing adventures. As an Outward Bound field staff, she cultivated her leadership, teaching and communication skills while instructing students on semester long mountaineering courses in Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Ecuador. Prior to Bren, Julia spent time working on sustainable food systems and energy economics at the Center for Food Safety, the Office for Resource Efficiency, and the United Nations Foundation. Julia has a strong interest in the complex dynamics of water resource management in the West, and is passionate about the effective allocation of water resources to ensure sufficient access to quality water for municipalities and agriculture, while preserving ecosystem health for future generations.
Julia’s interest in safeguarding the Earth’s water resources likely stems from her interest in sustainable foods systems and passion for playing in the wilderness. Since graduating from Colorado College, Julia developed a holistic lens for environmental issues through her diverse collection of experiences. Julia has traveled extensively while working on organic farms and on skiing and climbing adventures. As an Outward Bound field staff, she cultivated her leadership, teaching and communication skills while instructing students on semester long mountaineering courses in Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Ecuador. Prior to Bren, Julia spent time working on sustainable food systems and energy economics at the Center for Food Safety, the Office for Resource Efficiency, and the United Nations Foundation. Julia has a strong interest in the complex dynamics of water resource management in the West, and is passionate about the effective allocation of water resources to ensure sufficient access to quality water for municipalities and agriculture, while preserving ecosystem health for future generations.
Skyler Murphy
Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Skyler completed his undergraduate degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Construction Management and minors in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Environments. After graduation, Skyler spent a year traveling Australia, New Zealand and the American West. He then took a job doing project management for large scale commercial construction projects in the San Francisco Bay Area for 2 years before deciding to pursue his masters degree. Parallel to his Construction Management and academic career Skyler has worked as a white water rafting guide for 7 summer seasons on a variety of rivers in California, Oregon and Idaho. Through his work as a river guide, Skyler developed a strong connection to rivers and a passion for river conservation and water resources.
Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Skyler completed his undergraduate degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Construction Management and minors in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Environments. After graduation, Skyler spent a year traveling Australia, New Zealand and the American West. He then took a job doing project management for large scale commercial construction projects in the San Francisco Bay Area for 2 years before deciding to pursue his masters degree. Parallel to his Construction Management and academic career Skyler has worked as a white water rafting guide for 7 summer seasons on a variety of rivers in California, Oregon and Idaho. Through his work as a river guide, Skyler developed a strong connection to rivers and a passion for river conservation and water resources.
Ning Jiang
Growing up in China, Ning decided to move to Boston, Ma. to pursue her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Boston University. As an undergraduate, Ning spent 6 months in New Zealand where she split time studying and working on organic farms to gain a better understanding of environmentally conscious agriculture techniques. After graduating from Boston University, Ning spent three years researching sustainable water filtration technologies for developing countries at the University of California Santa Barbara in a partnership with Safe Water International. Her research experience and world view ignited Ning's interest in the management of both the quality and availability of water resources around the word.
Growing up in China, Ning decided to move to Boston, Ma. to pursue her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Boston University. As an undergraduate, Ning spent 6 months in New Zealand where she split time studying and working on organic farms to gain a better understanding of environmentally conscious agriculture techniques. After graduating from Boston University, Ning spent three years researching sustainable water filtration technologies for developing countries at the University of California Santa Barbara in a partnership with Safe Water International. Her research experience and world view ignited Ning's interest in the management of both the quality and availability of water resources around the word.
Dr. Christina (Naomi) Tague, Faculty Adviser
Dr. Tague's research is focused on the interactions between hydrology and ecosystems processes and exploring the interaction between eco-hydrolic systems and land use changes and climate. Her work focuses on the development and utilization of spatial simulation models to integrate data from a number of field monitoring studies to generalize results to larger watersheds. Dr. Tague is one of the primary developers of the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys), a GIS based, hydro-ecologic modeling framework designed to simulate carbon, water and nutrient fluxes at the watershed scale. Current projects include modeling climate change impacts on summer streamflow patterns in the mountains of the Western US, and examining how urbanization alters drainage patterns and associated biogeochemical cycling at part of the Baltimore Long Term Ecological Research Site and in selected Southern California watersheds. Dr. Tague received her Ph.D. from the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto, Canada and has an undergraduate degree from the Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Dr. Tague's research is focused on the interactions between hydrology and ecosystems processes and exploring the interaction between eco-hydrolic systems and land use changes and climate. Her work focuses on the development and utilization of spatial simulation models to integrate data from a number of field monitoring studies to generalize results to larger watersheds. Dr. Tague is one of the primary developers of the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys), a GIS based, hydro-ecologic modeling framework designed to simulate carbon, water and nutrient fluxes at the watershed scale. Current projects include modeling climate change impacts on summer streamflow patterns in the mountains of the Western US, and examining how urbanization alters drainage patterns and associated biogeochemical cycling at part of the Baltimore Long Term Ecological Research Site and in selected Southern California watersheds. Dr. Tague received her Ph.D. from the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto, Canada and has an undergraduate degree from the Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Doug Kenney, Client
As a research fellow at the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Kenney runs the Western Water Policy Research Program. Dr. Kenney has been with the Natural Resources Law Center since 1996. He researches and writes extensively on several water-related issues, including law and policy reform, river basin and watershed-level planning, the design of institutional arrangements, water resource economics, and alternative strategies for solving complex resource issues. Dr. Kenney has served as a consultant to a variety of local, state, multi-state, and federal agencies, including several Interior Department agencies, EPA, the US Forest Service, and special commissions (e.g., the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission); and national governments and non-governmental organizations in Asia and Africa. Additionally, he has made presentations in (at least) 19 states (and the District of Columbia), 7 nations, and 4 continents.
As a research fellow at the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Kenney runs the Western Water Policy Research Program. Dr. Kenney has been with the Natural Resources Law Center since 1996. He researches and writes extensively on several water-related issues, including law and policy reform, river basin and watershed-level planning, the design of institutional arrangements, water resource economics, and alternative strategies for solving complex resource issues. Dr. Kenney has served as a consultant to a variety of local, state, multi-state, and federal agencies, including several Interior Department agencies, EPA, the US Forest Service, and special commissions (e.g., the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission); and national governments and non-governmental organizations in Asia and Africa. Additionally, he has made presentations in (at least) 19 states (and the District of Columbia), 7 nations, and 4 continents.
Bob Wilkinson, External Adviser
Dr. Wilkinson is a adjunct associate professor at the Bren School, within University of California, Santa Barbara. His research and teaching focuses on on water and energy policy, climate change, and issues of environmental policy. He currently serves on the public advisory committee for California's State Water Plan, and he has represented the University of California on the Governor's Task Force on Desalination.
Dr. Wilkinson is a adjunct associate professor at the Bren School, within University of California, Santa Barbara. His research and teaching focuses on on water and energy policy, climate change, and issues of environmental policy. He currently serves on the public advisory committee for California's State Water Plan, and he has represented the University of California on the Governor's Task Force on Desalination.
Ken Nowak, External Adviser
Ken is a hydrologic engineer with the Boulder Canyon Operations Office of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region. He is stationed at CADSWES as part of the Lower Colorado planning and modeling team. In addition to planning/modeling activities, Ken is engaged in climate science research throughout the Lower Colorado Region.
Ken is a hydrologic engineer with the Boulder Canyon Operations Office of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region. He is stationed at CADSWES as part of the Lower Colorado planning and modeling team. In addition to planning/modeling activities, Ken is engaged in climate science research throughout the Lower Colorado Region.