Group Projects
The Group Project is one aspect of the Bren School that sets it apart from other environmental programs. Serving as the master's thesis, the Group Project begins during the spring quarter of the first year of study and lasts three quarters, ending in Winter quarter of the second year. Students join one of 15 groups, each comprising four to six MESM students who work as a team to solve a real-world environmental problem, with the guidance of a faculty advisor. The experience culminates with every group making a final oral and poster presentation to the Bren community, Group Project stakeholders, and local environmental professionals.
The goals of the Group Project are:
- To prepare students for professional careers by providing them with training and experience in multidisciplinary real-world environmental problem-solving
- To provide a mechanism for students to apply their technical expertise in solving complex environmental problems
- To provide training in the management of group dynamics
In addition, the Group Project is an exciting and valuable opportunity for agencies, firms, and individuals with an environmental problem to have a group of talented Masters students tackle the problem and make professional-level recommendations in need of a solution.
For more information on the Group Projects, please contact Amy Burgard, Academic Programs & Group Project Coordinator, Corlei Prieto at projects@bren.ucsb.edu.
For more information on submitting a Project Proposal, click here.
Past Group Projects (1998-2008)
Current Group Projects - MESM 2009
| TITLE |
STUDENTS |
FACULTY ADVISOR |
PROPOSER(S) |
CLIENT |
Exploring the ecological and socio-economic impacts of South Coast Marine Life Protection Act on the Santa Barbara Channel Marine Trap Fisheries: advancing marine ecosystem-based management
SOUTHCOAST |
Hess, Lauren
Johnson, Philip
Karasek, Theresa
Port-Minner, Samantha
Radhakrishnan, Uthra |
Chris Costello/
Hunter Lenihan |
Philip Johnson
Samantha Port-Minner |
California Lobster and Trap Fishermen's Association
Santa Barbara Channel LTER |
Hydrologic analysis, risk assessment, and evaluation of potential land management techniques for a Catalina Island watershed
CATALINA |
Abramson, Leslie
Chennel, Milli
Eisch, Erica
Glassco, Alicia
Holley,
Tom |
Tom Dunne |
Melissa Harris
Alicia Glassco |
Catalina Island Conservancy
Guided Discoveries, Inc. |
Assessing and Improving Life Cycle Management of Copper at Southern California Edison
COPPER |
Bumby, Sarah
Druzhinina, Ekaterina
Feraldi, Rebe
Werthman, Danae |
Roland Geyer |
Rebe Feraldi
Lara Polansky |
Southern California Edison |
Conservation Plan for the Cuyama River Valley and Sierra Madre Foothills, California
TNC |
Andersen, Caitlin
Dobrowski, Bridget
Harris, Melissa
Moreno, Edith
Roehrdanz, Patrick |
Frank Davis |
Thomas H. Maloney |
The Nature Conservancy |
Overcoming Data and Cost Obstacles to Fisheries Management with Innovative MPA-based Methods
MPA |
Apel, Ashley
Faloon, Kristine
Panitz, Dave
Scarborough, Courtney
Shelton, Clare |
Hunter Lenihan |
Rod Fujita
Hunter Lenihan
Jono Wilson |
Environmental Defense Oceans Program |
TMP: Brokering and Managing Sustainable Real Estate Investments in Mexico
MEXICO
|
Beadle, Kristian
Brazil, Gia
Dean, Ashley
Johnson, Lucas
Spraycar, Paul |
Catherine Ramus |
Kristian Beadle
Gia Brazil
Ashley Dean |
Harrington Investments, Inc. |
Long Range Ecological Optimization Approaches for Piute Ponds
PIUTE |
Alderman, David
Maciejowski, Nikki
Randall, Julie
Shirley, Robert |
Arturo Keller |
Robert Shirley |
Environmental Management Directorate
Edwards Air Force Base |
A Prospectus of Methods for Measuring Carbon Sequestration in Cofan Bermejo Reserve, Ecuador and Recommendations for Participation in Global Carbon Markets
COFAN |
Abbey, Heather
Ching, Carolyn
Eckerle, Tyson
Webb, Scott
Welborn, Emily |
Christina Tague |
Heather Abbey
Nicole Virgilio |
La Fundacion para Sobrevivencia del Pueblo Cofan (FSC) |
Impacts of Rising Sea Level on Coastal Communities: A Santa Barbara Case Study
SEALEVEL |
Muhammad, Mushfiq
Griffin, Julia
Schwartz, Dave
Spontak, Mike |
James Frew |
Bruce Caron
James Frew |
The New Media Studio |
TMP: Improving and Translating Deckers Outdoor Corporation's Environmental Performance: Implications for Competitive Advantage and Consumer Awareness
DECKERS |
Cote-Schiff, Danielle
Donnelly, Clancy
Flinn, Lauren
Fulmer, Brian
Lin, Chien-Ju |
Gary Libecap |
Danielle Cote-Schiff
Ashley Dean
Clancy Donnelly
Alicia Godlove
Paul Spraycar |
Deckers Outdoor Corporation |
Incentivizing Sustainable Property Management Practices among Real Estate Holding Clients of Yardi Systems, Inc.
YARDI |
Fulton, Jesse
Jalapour, Bob
Lane, Lindsey
Sager, Jordan
Willer, Brandon
Del Maestro, Christian |
Sarah Anderson |
Jordan Sager
Brandon Willer |
Yardi Systems, Inc. |
Sustainably Design a Community Development in Santa Paula and Identify Room for Improvements and Opportunities Created by a Net Carbon Analysis
LIMONEIRA |
Godlove, Alicia
McCune, Kelli
Naxon, Tariel
Strongin, Seth |
Jeff Dozier |
The Limoneira Company |
The Limoneira Company |
Antelope-Fremont Watershed Assessment and Plan (AFWAP): An Ecosystematic Assessment and Integrated Plan for Watershed and Habitat Preservation
ANTELOPE |
Bare, Lucas
Bernhardt, Tessa
Chu, Toby
Gomez, Melissa
Noddings, Chris
Viljoen, Milena |
Lee Hannah |
Antelope Valley Conservancy |
Antelope Valley Conservancy |
Strategies for Measurement and Reduction of the Carbon Footprint of a Diversified Financial Services Entity - Zurich Financial Servics
ZURICH |
Kokosinski, Kate
Murray, Shannon
Osgood, Nick
Polansky, Lara
Tsiarta, Christina |
Matt Kotchen/
Oran Young |
Zurich Financial Services |
Zurich Financial Services |
|