The students in the Rausser College of Natural Resources are at the core of the College’s mission to “See the Bigger Picture. Make a Better World.” Here we highlight the stories of some of our outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who embody that motto in their research, community action, and daily lives. To nominate a student or group to be featured, use this submission form.

Two interns collect plant and soil samples in a polyculture field

Crop diversity enriches soil fungi in depleted soil

April 16, 2021
Doctoral student Aidee Guzman works with farmers in the San Joaquin Valley to understand soil health—and to support farmers.
Lorenzo Washington standing in a forest.

Listen Closely, the Trees are Talking

April 08, 2021
Plant & Microbial Biology PhD student Lorenzo Washington published an article on fungal relationships in Bay Nature.
Three students in the Oxford Tract

Berkeley Student Farms grows more than food

March 23, 2021
Berkeley Student Farms is a coalition of student-run gardens dedicated to giving student-farmers ownership over the foods they grow, reconnecting to the land’s indigenous heritage, and empowering leadership, collaboration, and onsite learning.
Violet Henderson screenshot from an SFMTA video

Student Spotlight: Violet Henderson

March 08, 2021
Henderson is a fourth-year student studying Conservation & Resources Studies and African American Studies.
Maggie Raboin

Studying spider bioacoustics at the Elias Lab

February 10, 2021
Maggie Raboin is a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.

Student Spotlight: Shelby O’Neil

January 28, 2021
Second-year undergraduate Shelby O’Neil discusses her efforts in ocean conservation and environmental advocacy.

Five graduate students advance anti-racism efforts in Rausser College

December 17, 2020
The ESPM students led the creation of a class on anti-racist environmental scholarship.
Researcher Christopher Gee making masks

Rausser groups spearhead pandemic aid

December 14, 2020
In Breakthroughs magazine, read about the Common Humanity Collective, a volunteer initiative to distribute hand sanitizer and masks.
Graphic of laptop and beaker

Hands on learning at home

December 02, 2020
Rausser College instructors have adapted creatively to engage students during remote learning.

Student Spotlight: Aileen Lavelle

October 21, 2020

Fourth year undergraduate Aileen Lavelle has studied marine biology through various internship and educational opportunities. 

Student Spotlight: Vera L. Chang

September 03, 2020

This edition of Student Spotlight features PhD candidate Vera L. Chang, who speaks about her journalism and food justice research.

Headshot of Rishi Khalsa.

Crafting the Message

June 25, 2020
In the latest issue of Breakthroughs magazine, Master of Development Practice alumnus Rishi Khalsa highlights his work in government communications. 

Five Rausser College students recognized with CACS awards

May 12, 2020
The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability awards graduating students for environmental advocacy.
Dante holding a sign about SERC in front of a tree.

Student Spotlight: Dante Gonzales

April 02, 2020
Fourth-year undergraduate Dante Gonzales discusses carbon neutrality and environmental activism.
Three students recording an episode of the podcast

Master of Development Practice students launch podcast

February 25, 2020
The bi-monthly podcast, called Theory of Change, covers a wide range of development topics.
PhD candidate Ignacio Escalante shows the students tiny spiders during a lab tour

Freshman seminar creates a climate of inclusion

February 20, 2020
The course aims to empower young scientists and challenge stereotypes about researchers.
Ella Griffith standing in a field

Student Spotlight: Ella Griffith

February 10, 2020
Fourth year Conservation and Resource Studies major Ella Griffith discusses food waste issues and her historical narratives project on Sierra Club's influential women.

100 Percent Empowerment, Zero Percent Guilt Trip

December 16, 2019
PMB PhD candidate Cat Adams founded the Unconscious Bias Project to help scientists tackle the biases lurking in our labs, lives, and classrooms.

Planting Doctorates: Inside the Plant Gene Expression Center

December 10, 2019

PMB graduate student Nanticha Lutt highlights the Plant Gene Expression Center (PGEC) and her fellow researchers in this photo essay. 

Thermometer in front of cityscape

Early climate modelers got global warming right, new report finds

December 04, 2019
In collaboration with researchers at MIT and NASA, ERG doctoral student Zeke Hausfather analyzes decades of climate change projections.

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