2024 Bearhs Environmental Leadership Program participant Ali Odeh leads water service providers in Palestine.
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.
Shreya Chaudhuri on how UC Berkeley inspires the courage to make change
The 2025 Rausser College student commencement speaker urged graduates to recognize the potential of using their voice and UC Berkeley education to change the world.
Student Spotlight: Nikita Bahadur
The graduating molecular environmental biology major spoke to Rausser College about her time at UC Berkeley and plans for the future.
Student Spotlight: Steven Zeng
The third-year environmental economics and policy student spoke to Rausser College about his journey to UC Berkeley and love of film production.
Mapping the return of Indigenous lands using data science
ESPM PhD candidate McKalee Steen became the first graduate student researcher at the Schmidt Center this January, contributing to their research on Indigenous data sovereignty.
Student Spotlight: Yesim Goktekin
The second-year Master of Nutritional Sciences & Dietetics student spoke about her decision to change careers and her experience in the new graduate program.
California’s most elusive mammal photographed for the first time
A team led by alum Vishal Subramanyan, released the first images of the Mount Lyell shrew more than 100 years after it was discovered.
Applying racial-justice principles to predators and their ecosystems
Environmental Science, Policy, and Management graduate student Tyus Williams harnesses his lived experiences to inform his research while documenting it on social media.
Robin López appointed mayor of Albany, CA
The ESPM PhD student was first elected to the Albany City Council in 2022 and most recently served as the city’s vice mayor.
From engineer to interdisciplinary scholar
PhD candidate Cristina Crespo Montañés is building on her engineering background to help decarbonize the energy sector.
Connecting with communities and cultures through food
Undergraduates in the Food, Culture, and the Environment course partnered with local and international organizations over the summer on projects with real-world implications.
Activism as Academics
Bhavna Shamasunder, PhD '11 Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, is a leading expert in environmental justice and on cumulative burden.
Advancing climate equity around the world
We highlight some of the nearly three dozen graduate students supported by the Katherine S. and James K. Lau Graduate Fellowship in Climate Equity.
Aline Abayo named participant in Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship Program
The ERG graduate student will travel to Stockholm, Sweden, during the Nobel Week Dialogue in December.
Profile: A Bright Start
Alum Lee Chae utilizes AI to map and tap plant bioactive compounds that could potentially benefit human health.
Profile: The Fungal Detective
Former postdoctoral researcher Matthew Fisher traces the evolution of fungi across space and time to combat the diseases they drive.
Conociendo nuestra cultura
This past summer, fourth-year environmental economics and policy student Magaly Santos studied abroad in Mexico City and Oaxaca, exploring sustainable agriculture and water management strategies as communities continue to adapt to climate change.
Rausser College student, alums named to 2024 Grist 50
ESPM graduate student Ryan Reed and alums Elsie Joshi and Sage Lenier were honored by Grist for their work solving climate problems in innovative and exciting ways.
Olympians among us
Rausser College of Natural Resources cheers on five current or former students who are competing at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
Student Spotlight: Abi Shiva
The Environmental Sciences and Legal Studies graduate served as the undergraduate speaker for the 2024 Rausser College Commencement held on May 13.