Faculty & Staff Directory

Dr. Chip Appel

(Interim Department Head)

Phone: (805) 756-1691

Office: 180-209
Office Hours Location: 180-515
Email: cappel@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Appel ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I am not currently hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Dr. Aakash Ahamed

Phone: (805) 756-0919
Office: 10-239
Email: aaahamed@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Ahamed ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The research topic(s) I plan to be working on with a Masters student include using remote sensing technologies and geospatial data science to understand the water and carbon cycles. 

Please reach out to me (aaahamed@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and your background by January 15 if you might be interested in working with me for your MS in ESM.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers with a focus in hydrology and biomass GIS work. 

Please reach out to me (aaahamed@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Mr. Doug Aversano - Lecturer

Phone: (805) 756-6096
Office: 10-254
Email: raversan@calpoly.edu

See more about Mr. Aversano ›

Office Hours Listings

Dr. Nicholas Babin

Phone: (805) 756-2373
Office: 181-317
Email: nbabin@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Babin ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning in Fall 2025.

Dr. Yiwen Chiu

Phone: (805) 756-2972
Office: 180-504
Email: yichiu@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Chiu ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The research topic(s) I plan to be working on with a Masters student include the application of life-cycle analysis to quantify the environmental performance of different agricultural practices, and geospatial implications of GHG emissions associated with the change of land use. 

Please reach out to me (yichiu@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume by 12/01/2025 if you might be interested in working with me for your MS in ESM.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers with a focus in life cycle analysis. 

Please reach out to me (yichiu@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Richard Cobb

Phone: (805) 756-6333
Office: 10-238
Email: rccobb@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Cobb ›

Office Hours Listings

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers for the summer/field season.

Please reach out to me (rccobb@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Charlotte Decock

Phone: (805) 756-6360
Office: 180-415
Email: cdecock@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Decock ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning in Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries 

I may be hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Please reach out to me (cdecock@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Chris Dicus

Phone: (805) 756-5104
Office: 180-506
Email: cdicus@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Dicus ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning in Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I am not currently hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Mr. Austin Ferguson - Academic Advisor

Phone: (805) 756-7574
Office: 74M-A
Email: cafesadvising@calpoly.edu

Office Hours Listings

Currently Supporting:

Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences

Dr. Samantha Gill

Phone: (805) 756-6205
Office: 180-507
Email: sgill@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Gill ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning in Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I am not currently hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Ms. Rebecca Graham - Lecturer

Phone: (805) 756-2898
Office: 10-254
Email: rfgraham@calpoly.edu

See more about Ms. Graham ›

Office Hours Listings

Ms. Meagan Groom - Academic Advisor

Phone: (805) 756-7574
Office: 074M-A
Email: groom@calpoly.edu

Office Hours Listings

Currently Supporting:

Environmental Management & Protection

Forestry and Fire Sciences

Dr. Ashley Grupenhoff

Phone: (805) 756-0747
Office: 181-314
Email: agrupenh@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Grupenhoff ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The research topics I plan to work on with a Masters student include estimating the carbon implications of delayed forest reestablishment and evaluating the impacts of prescribed fire on ecosystem resilience across central California. 

Please reach out to me (agrupenh@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and background by January if you might be interested in working with me for your MS in ESM.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I am not currently hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Dr. Jeremy James

(Interim Dean, CAFES)

Phone: (805) 756-2161
Office: 11-211
Email: jjames20@calpoly.edu

CAFES Dean's Office

See more about Dr. James ›

Dr. Lilli Kaarakka

Phone: (805) 756-6378
Office: 181-254
Email: lkaarakk@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Kaarakka ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support one or two Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The research topic(s) I plan to be working on with the selected Masters student(-s) include forest management and modeling future outcomes (using FVS), forest carbon offset programs and policies, and finally, forest fuel dynamics (model development for canopy fuel density). 

Please reach out to me (lmkaarak@calpoly.edu)  with a short summary of your research interests and your background by December January 10 if you might be interested in working with me for your MS in ESM.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers. 

Please reach out to me (lkaarakk@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Bwalya Malama

(Soil Science Graduate Coordinator)

Phone: (805) 756-2971
Office: 180-516
Email: bmalama@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Malama ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to advise Master's student[s] beginning in Fall 2025. The research topic(s) I plan to be working on with the student[s] include groundwater, soil biophysics, stream-aquifer interactions, and forest evapotranspiration. 

Please reach out to me (bmalama@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and your background by January 15 if you might be interested in working with me for yo

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers with a focus in hydrology / streamflow. 

Please reach out to me (bmalama@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Cortney Newby

Administrative Support Coordinator

Phone: (805) 756-6392
Office: 180-209
Email: cfnewby@calpoly.edu

Jamie O'Kane 

Instructional Support Technician

Phone: (805) 756-1541
Office: 11-301
Email: jlokane@calpoly.edu

Dr. Yamina Pressler

Phone: (805) 756-6338
Office: 181-313
Email: ypressle@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Pressler ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The status of available graduate student opportunities is listed on my website: https://yaminapressler.com/Website/research/open+positions

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers. 

Please reach out to me (ypressle@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Gordon Rees

(Coordinator for EESS Major)

Phone: (805) 756-6346
Office: 180-517
Email: grees@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Rees ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025.  The research topic I plan to be working on with a Masters student include analysis of soil micromorphology in thin sections of soils from range sites after compost application.  

Please reach out to me at grees@calpoly.edu  with a short summary of your research interests and your background by Jan 15 if you might be interested in working with me for your MS in ESM.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I may be hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Please reach out to me (grees@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Lisa A. Rice

Admininstrative Support Coordinator

Phone: (805) 756-6390
Office: 180-209
Email: lirice@calpoly.edu

Dr. Seeta Sistla

(Graduate Programs Coordinator)

Phone: (805) 756-6306
Office: 180-514
Email: ssistla@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Sistla ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

Thanks for your interest in my lab's research! I do not plan to recruit Masters student in Fall 2025. 

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

I may be hiring undergraduate student researchers.

Please reach out to me (ssistla@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Craig Stubler

Instructional Support Technician

Phone: (805) 756-2188
Office: 180-252A
Email: cstubler@calpoly.edu

Dr. Chris Surfleet

(Coordinator for FFS Major)

Phone: (805) 756-2743
Office: 180-518
Email: csurflee@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Surfleet ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to support new Masters students beginning in Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers in fall with a focus in beaver mapping. 

Please reach out to me (csurflee@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Anastasia Telesetsky

Currently on Sabbatical

Phone: (805) 756-6334
Office: 181-311
Email: ateleset@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Telesetsky ›

Office Hours Listings

Dr. Priya Verma

(Coordinator for ENVM Major)

Phone: (805) 756-2773
Office: 180-505
Email: pverma@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Verma ›

Office Hours Listings

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers. 

Please reach out to me (pverma@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Nick Williams

Phone: (805) 756-5016
Office: 181-315
Email: nwilli37@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Williams ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I do not plan to accept new Masters students into my research group in Fall 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers. 

Please reach out to me (nwilli37@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Dr. Stewart Wilson

Phone: (805) 756-6369
Office: 181-312
Email: swilso49@calpoly.edu

See more about Dr. Wilson ›

Office Hours Listings

Graduate Student Inquiries

I plan to support a Masters student beginning in Fall 2025. The masters student will investigate soil and water impacts of preventative fire retardants. The project comes with some associated funding and begins Fall 2025.  Please reach out to me with inquiries by February 15 2025.

Undergraduate Student Research Inquiries

Yes, I am currently hiring undergraduate student researchers. 

Please reach out to me (swilso49@calpoly.edu) with a short summary of your research interests and a copy of your resume.

Mr. David Yun - Lecturer

Phone: (805) 781-7189
Office: 180-209
Email: dyun@calpoly.edu

See more about Mr. Yun ›

Office Hours Listings