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 seeking a solution to an environmental challenge to have a group of talented master's students tackle the problem and make professional-level recommendations.

For more information on the Group Projects, please contact Amy Burgard, Academic Programs & Group Project Coordinator, at projects@bren.ucsb.edu.

For more information on submitting a Project Proposal, click here.

Past Group Projects (1998-2009)

Current Group Projects - MESM 2010

Click here to join "bren-vites" and automatically receive an invitation to the 2011 Group Project Final Presentation event.

TITLE	STUDENTS	FACULTY ADVISOR	PROPOSER(S)	CLIENT
Permanent River Protection Strategies in China CHINARIVERS website contact	Freiberg, Matthew Jacobsen, Hanna Leclair, Lydia Wilburton, Carly	Bob Wilkinson	Michael Gheleta Kristen McDonald	Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP China Rivers Project
Synergistic commercial and industrial energy and water conservation strategies SYNERGY website contact	Nichols, Sarah Pearlman, Isaac Sampson, Gabriel Showers, Jasmine Turner, Randy	Arturo Keller	Arturo Keller Randy Turner	Southern California Edison
Zero Waste Strategies for Gills Onions - Sustainable Innovation and Waste Management ONIONS website contact	French,LeeAnne Hamman, Laura Katz, Stacy Kozaki, Yuji	James Frew	Nikki Rodoni	Gills Onions
Development of a Standard Tool to Measure the Economic Footprint of Footwear FOOTPRINT website contact	Arcenas, Ariana Holst, Julie Ono, Takuma Valdin, Matt	Sarah Anderson	Mark Fegley	Deckers Outdoor Corporation
Development of conceptual models and ecological baselines to support monitoring and adaptive management of Tejon Ranch, California TEJON website contact	Appelbaum, Jonathan Brown, Erin Forsyth, Shaina Kashiwase, Lisa Murray, Dana	Frank Davis	Michael White	Tejon Ranch Conservancy
Optimal Design and Management of a Commercial Fishing Cooperative for the San Miguel Island Red Abalone Fishery ABALONE website contact	Bor, Kristen Hodges, Heather Jacobs, Ariel Ovando, Dan Uecker, Josh	Chris Costello	Kristen Bor Dan Ovando	California Abalone Association
Assessing Fire Regime Change in the Santa Monica Mountains under Climate Change Scenarios: Policy and Management Implications SAMO website contact	Anderson, Adam Koh, Kyung Schaffer-Smith, Danica Shapiro, Erin Su, Wendy	Kendall/Tague	Marti Witter Wendy Su	Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Patagonia’s Water Footprint PATAGONIA website contact	Bass, Lindsay Close, Ainsley Nuding, Amelia Tam, Loretta Young, Daniel	Tom Dunne	Amelia Nuding	Patagonia
Environmental Risk and Emerging Regulation in the Nanomaterials Sector: A 2009 Inventory and Survey of Industry Perceptions and Practices NANO website contact	Baumgartner, Lynn Carr, Benjamin Fish, Allison Meyerhofer, John	Patricia Holden	Barbara Herr Harthorn	Center for Nanotechnology in Society at UCSB (CNS-UCSB) UC Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (UC CEIN)
Tracing seafood sources: a pressing technical challenge for the seafood industry SEAFOOD website contact	Gibbon, James Hastings, Connor Hirsch, Tucker Hislop, Kristen Stevens, Eric	Hunter Lenihan	Kim Salkoe	Monterey Bay Aquarium (Sustainable Seafood Initiative)
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies for California Communities AECOM website contact	Conrardy, Michael Feiger, Gavin King, Allison Sobel, Aaron Whittet, Justin	Oran Young	AECOM Environment	AECOM Environment
Integrating Urban Green space into Downtown Los Angeles GREENLA website contact	Morgan, Theresa Riley, Kathryn Tannebring, Rebecca Veldhuis, Leanne	Christina Tague	Kathryn Riley Rebecca Tannebring	Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Enhancing Business Operations and Scientific Capacity of Loreto Baykeeper in Baja California Sur, Mexico BAJA website contact	Holl, Gabriela Meeker, Lara Paez, Catrina Soto, Grizelda Vercruse, Robin	Catherine Ramus	Catrina Paez Kristian Beadle	Waterkeeper Alliance
Eco-Entrepreneurship: Marketainer, Closed-Loop Packaging Solution MARKETAINER website contact	Cowan, Rori Edingfield, Hylton Tannenbaum, Kathryn Vytla, Priya	Roland Geyer	Hylton Edingfield Takuma Ono Matt Valdin	Isla Vista Food Cooperative
Eco-Entrepreneurship: Creation of Pajaro Water Solutions LLC to Provide Innovative Water Resource Management Strategies to the Pajaro River Watershed PWS website contact	Carlson, Zoe Crocker, Daniel Solis, Sara Speers, Alexandra Young, Matthew	Gary Libecap	Zoe Carlson	Stakeholders in Pajaro River Watershed
Eco-Entrepreneurship: Energy Rubix: Developing a Business Plan for a Consulting/Brokerage Firm that couples Energy Efficiency Methodologies and Photovoltaic Installation ENERGYRUBIX website contact	Halabi, Linda Lamartin, Andrea Lin, Anna Rohloff, Adam Wdowin, Aaron	James Frew	Adam Rohloff Aaron Wdowin