UCSB Environmental Studies Program

04/24/2026

“Rethinking rivers: Their greatest services may be the ones we overlook” is an article featuring ES Professor Rafael Schmitt talking about his work considering the value of fisheries, sediment and culture shifts economic calculations for development along rivers!
Read the UCSB Current Article here!

03/13/2026

ES Faculty Member Liz Carlise’s research and newest book was featured in UCSB’s Current online magazine this week titled “How farming perennial crops can help us in times of climate change, food insecurity and social division”.
Her new book is titled “Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Foods” (Island Press, 2026).
“I came to perennial foods because I see these foods and the movement building around them as this really promising solution that can help us to tackle these collective challenges,” she said.

A new book co-edited by UCSB environmental studies professor Liz Carlisle and Aubrey Streit Krug at the Land Institute asserts that farming perennial crops confers resilience in times of climate change

11/19/2025

ES Professor Grace Wu is featured in a UCSB Current article titled: “How to retire coal, smarter and faster - New UCSB study offers data-driven strategies for shuttering America’s remaining coal plants.” Published in Nature Energy, the study tackles a critical question: if market forces have already driven many coal plants to close, why are so many still running?

UCSB researchers develop data-driven strategies to retire U.S. coal plants smarter and faster, accelerating the clean energy transition.

10/16/2025

Two awarded here at UCSB!

These discoveries span decades and disciplines, but they all have one important thing in common: They’ve all relied on competitive funding from the federal government.

09/10/2025

Save the date!

08/29/2025

On this, the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I memorialize the event by sharing a book written by one of my dear friends and distinguished professor of Environmental Studies at UCSB. Sadly, Professor Freudenburg passed a number of years ago, but his book is as relevant today as it was when first published. It's available in multiple options on Amazon.com
"Too often, the U.S. “growth machine” generates wealth for a few and misery for many. Drawing lessons from the most expensive “natural” disaster in American history, Catastrophe in the Making shows why thoughtless development comes at a price we can ill afford."
https://www.amazon.com/-/es/William-R-Freudenburg/dp/B01JXSGTBS

When houses are flattened, towns submerged, and people stranded without electricity or even food, we attribute the suffering to “natural disasters” or “acts of God.” But what if hey’re neither? What if we, as a society, are bringing these catastrophes on ourselves? That’s the provocative...

07/09/2025

An interesting article including the research of ES Assistant Professor Dr. Halley Froehlich.

"A sweeping new Trump executive order to deregulate the U.S. seafood sector risks unraveling decades of scientific progress and environmental protections, according to aquaculture and fishery scientists writing in a new paper published in the journal Marine Policy. Rather than strengthening the industry, they argue, the policy threatens the very systems that support sustainable seafood."

A sweeping new executive order to deregulate the U.S. seafood sector risks unraveling decades of scientific progress and environmental protections, according to aquaculture and fishery scientists

07/02/2025

Great networking opportunity!

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
TGIF! is back! On Friday, July 11, the Environmental Defense Center's famous happy hour series starts with live music, wine and beer donated by local folks, and a raffle with cool prizes including gear from Patagonia.
We’re looking for volunteers. If you love greeting guests, helping behind the scenes, keeping things green, or serving drinks—there’s a role for you! All volunteers receive entry into the event and an EDC branded volunteer t-shirt.
To join us, contact Brandi Webber at 805-963-1622x104 or by email at [email protected].

04/09/2025

This Thursday, April 10th, will be ES Emeritus Lecturer Paul Wack's 80th Birthday. If you know Paul feel free to wish him a happy birthday on his online Virtual Birthday Wall!

Share your stories and post birthday wishes below.

01/10/2025

A recent Opinion article published by four current ES faculty members......

There is growing skepticism of the value of expertise and science, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study. While cynicism and snake oil are not