NRES LEAD Scholars Program

Alexandria Tappin

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 2nd year

Concentration: Corporate Environmental Management

Alexandria Tappin is a second-year Environmental Management and Protection major who is starting her second year in LEAD Scholars. Last year I started a project based on a non-profit cardstock business. She worked with Dr. McGowan to research into starting a non-profit that gives back to environmental conservation efforts. The project aims to reinstate cardstock; Mother’s Day, Birthday, and other event cards, into gift-giving however for every card you buy you would be giving back to the conservation efforts that aim to reshape our ecosystems and protect wildlife. She will continue to work on this project for her second year in LEAD and will work with the Cal Poly Hatchery in order to continue to build up the non-profit. LEAD Scholars helped improve her professional development and build up project ideas towards natural resources that hope to influence and inspire others!

Andrea Linggi-Perez

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Concentration: Sustainable Agriculture

Andrea is passionate about making fresh produce available to more people, especially in urban environments. Putting this passion into practice, Andrea did a summer study abroad in Costa Rica, living with coffee farmers and learning about agroecology with hands-on work, and assisting in reforestation projects with OSA Conservation.  In addition, she currently works and SLO City Farm, a regenerative urban farm focused on sustainability and equal access to healthy produce, where she leads education programs to the youth, and helps to maintain the farm. Thrilled to participate in her first year of the LEAD Scholars program, Andrea plans to create a sustainable aquaponics farm to supply fresh produce directly to students. 

Annika Gruettemann

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 2nd year

Concentration: Conservation Science and Management 

Annika is a second-year Environmental Management and Protection student at Cal Poly with a concentration in Conservation Science and Management, and this is her first year as a part of the LEAD Scholars program. Her research interests lie mainly in marine and wildlife conservation, botany and plant sciences, environmental education, and land restoration. This year, her plans vary between topics of interest. In regards to marine conservation, she is interested in developing a project centered around investigating marine mussel physiology in relation to microplastic filtration, a continuation of research performed in 2022 which led to her acceptance to present her findings at the LA County Science and Engineering Fair. As a hiking enthusiast, she is passionate about trail and wilderness safety, and would like to use her graphic design background to create accessible, well-informed safety and informational materials for SLO county’s many popular hiking destinations. In regards to plant sciences, she is also interested in examining the inner workings of mycorrhizal systems in native Californian tree species, such as the common Central Coast tree Quercus agrifolia, in order to determine how fungal hyphae are affected by varying environmental conditions such as drought.

Brooke Hopwood

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Minor: Law and Society 

Concentration: Law, Justice, and Policy

Brooke is a third-year Environmental Management and Protection major at Cal Poly with a concentration in Law, Justice, and Policy, and a minor in Law and Society. This is her first year as a LEAD Scholar. Her research interests include environmental justice, terrestrial/marine restoration, and all aspects of estuaries and intertidal zones. In environmental justice, she is interested in creating an ArcGIS map connecting popular recreation sites in SLO County to the decision makers, public forums, and legislation that govern them. She hopes this project will encourage greater participation in environmental regulations and thus, better land/waterway management altogether. She will be traveling to Sacramento for the Point Sal State Marine Conservation Area Hearing, so her project will be informed by the hearing’s discourse. She is still working to find an outlet for her interest in marine research and restoration.

Clara Cameron

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Concentration: Conservation Science

Minor: Biology

Clara is a third year Environmental Management and Protection major, joining the LEAD program in Fall of 2026. This year, she is working alongside fourth year, Keegan Fish, to continue the Sweet Springs Restoration Initiative, which involves monthly invasive species removal and native plantings at the Morro Coast Audubon Society Sweet Springs Nature Preserve. Through this project, she hopes to make a meaningful impact on the local community, involve more student volunteers, as well as continue protection for the endangered Morro Shoulderband snail. Clara is able to continue her passion for field work and environmental activism with the support of LEAD Scholars. After graduation, Clara plans on continuing to work in the field and in the non-profit sphere, focusing on environmental restoration, habitat protection, and grassroots efforts.

Collin Durfee

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Concentration: Sustainable Agriculture

Collin is a 3rd year Environmental Management and Protection major in his 3rd year in the LEAD program. His projects focus on promoting underutilized foodstuffs to encourage students to eat in a more ethical and resource friendly way. He accomplishes this by hosting educational workshops on food production from our natural landscape, updating and locally improving the global Falling Fruit map, and by creating his own interactive Edible Landscape Walking Tour map of the Cal Poly campus.

Erin Kennedy

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

Concentration: Geology

Minor: Water Science

As a 4th year undergraduate EESS student who has been in LEAD for 3 years, Erin’s first project revolved around reducing uninformed food waste disposal at Sinsheimer Elementary school through conducting waste audits and implementing proper signage/sorting bins. Last year, she collaborated with Creek Lands Conservation to restore a local riparian area adjacent to Arroyo Grande Creek including removing invasive plants, planting natives, installing irrigation, and erosion-control wattles. Professionally, LEAD has helped her earn various jobs around campus such as a Gen Chem III Workshop leader and currently, an Student Assistant for the NRES department office. This year, Erin is partnering with Sophia and Solana to assess soil lead contamination around San Luis Obispo and gain experience working with chemical laboratory analysis equipment (inspired by their Environmental Soil Chemistry class this semester). LEAD has exposed Erin to real-world workflows—navigating obstacles and adapting as you go—and allowed her to make more career-oriented decisions!

Gabriella Lewis

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 3rd year 

Concentration: Geology

Minors: GIS, Child Development

Gabriella is a 3th year undergraduate EESS major who has been in LEAD for 3 years. Her 1st project involved working with fellow NRES LEAD Scholar Collin. They tried to limit food waste on campus. Her 2nd project involved working with the Morro Bay National Estuary Program, where she helped remove invasive sea lavender along Morro Bay. Through the LEAD program, she attended the Association of Environmental Professionals conference and the Professional Soil Scientists Association of California conferences in 2025 and 2026. She also had the opportunity to present her research on quantifying the abundance and distribution of soil nematodes in coastal California rangeland at the SERCAL conference in May earlier this year.

Katelyn McCoy

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2026-27

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

Minors: Land Rehabilitation, Restoration Ecology

Katelyn is a 4th year Environmental Earth and Soil Science student at Cal Poly who is starting her first year in the LEAD Scholar’s Program. Her LEAD project's focus is on applied energy and water conservation practices. For the past several years, she’s been working in a mix of soil lab work and field work on a native biodiversity in grasslands project and is beginning a project focused on drought resiliency in soil and native grasses. She’s very passionate about applying soil science to conservation and restoration work. She was very excited to present her research on the impacts of cattle grazing on soil and plant biomass health at the SERCAL conference in May earlier this year. 

Keegan Fish

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Double Major: Forest and Fire Sciences; Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Concentration: Wildlife Biology

Minors: GIS, Biology

Keegan Fish is a double major in Forest and Fire Science and Environmental Management and Protection, with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and minors in GIS and Biology. Entering his third year as a LEAD Scholar, he continues to lead the Sweet Springs Restoration Initiative in active partnership with the Morro Coast Audubon Society, helping connect Cal Poly students with coastal habitat restoration in Los Osos. He coordinates nonprofit partnerships, helps plan and lead monthly restoration days, organizes carpools and university vans for student transport, and teaches native planting, propagation, and invasive species removal. Utilizing classroom presentations, campus outreach, and student club partnerships, he has built a passionate volunteer email network of more than 300 eager volunteers.
His first-year efforts helped secure over 1,500 native dune plant species and support planting 750 natives to improve habitat for the threatened Morro Shoulderband snail and other wildlife. In the second year alone, seven restoration events brought out 255 student volunteers, contributed more than 750 volunteer hours, and removed over 1,000 pounds of invasive veldt grass. Going into his third year running the project, he is now expanding propagation efforts at Cal Poly’s Horticulture Unit, preparing approximately 4,000 additional plants for restoration while mentoring future student leaders. His goal is to solidify the relationships between Cal Poly and local conservation efforts, leaving a healthier habitat and a strong student stewardship program that continues this work after he graduates. 

Kenly Bradshaw

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Forest and Fire Sciences, 3rd year

Concentration: Wildland Fire and Fuels Management

Entering her second year in LEAD, Kenly is continuing to work with her partner, Samantha Vos, to map invasive plant species across the Cal Poly Rangelands. Their goal is to protect native bunchgrasses relied upon for grazing and provide information that can support future land management planning. As part of her professional development, Kenly took Spring Quarter 2026 off from school to work as a wildland firefighter with Contra Costa County, where she gained hands-on experience and continued building her fire qualifications. Graduating in December of 2026, she plans to continue developing her wildland certifications, earn her EMT, and pursue conservation and restoration projects alongside her emergency medical training.

Ona Musoll-Buendia

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Concentration: Environmental Data Science

Minors: GIS, Sustainable Environments 

This year, Ona will be co-founding and leading a club called Plant Futures. This clubs goal is to educate and engage with students passionate about plant-centric food systems and provide a network through which they can apply this passion to better both their own lives and engage in meaningful professional development and career exploration. Club events might include plant-based potlucks, bonfires, or volunteering days, allowing for students to find a community of likeminded people. As a part of her professional development this year, she will be presenting research at the 26th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Puerto Rico as well as participating in environmental outreach events thorough the year.

Rowan Campbell

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Concentration: Wildlife Biology

Minors: Biology

Rowan is a fourth-year Environmental Management and Protection major with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and a minor in Biology. This will be Rowan’s second year as a LEAD Scholar. His ongoing project centers around educating the community about entomology, the study of insects and arachnids. This has manifested in “The Local Buzz,” a growing digital insect informational newsletter sent out to over 180 students and faculty at Cal Poly. Rowan also runs the the Cal Poly Bug Club, where he leads students on nature walks to find and identify different bugs. Rowan is graduating this December, and he prepares for his career by going to wildlife conferences and symposiums, making connections with other wildlife biologists.

Samantha Vos

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Concentration: Sustainable Urban Development and Planning

Minor: GIS

Samantha is a 3rd year undergraduate student at Cal Poly and has been a LEAD Scholar since Fall of 2025. Her project, continuing from last year, entails mapping invasive plant species on Cal Poly ranch lands with her project partner, Kenly Bradshaw. She hopes to aid management efforts and ultimately protect native bunchgrasses that Cal Poly’s cows rely on for grazing. As part of her professional development, she was able to attend the Association of Environmental Professionals conference last year and is excited to attend again this year with the support of the LEAD program. LEAD has helped Samantha learn more about how to adapt to unexpected obstacles and take tangible career-readiness steps.

Solana Herold

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Double Major: Environmental Management and Protection; Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 3rd year 

Minor: Global Politics, Water Science

Solana is a 3rd year undergraduate at Cal Poly and has had the privilege of working as a LEAD scholar since Fall 2024 - first contributing to the development and building of a local seed library at the Cal Poly Experimental Farm, then delving into the intricate world of water policy in San Luis Obispo County, CA. She is now working on gathering survey data from farmers to assess their perspectives on the new (and older) water policies, including Ag Order 4.0 and SGMA which affect this region. Later this year, she intends to publish her findings as a research article. This year, Solana will also be working with Erin and Sophia to analyze contaminated soil samples. With the support of the LEAD Scholars program, Solana has had the opportunity to attend multiple conferences including the Annual Wildlife Symposium in SLO and Bioneers. They have also helped her earn a Wilderness First Responder certificate and and helped support her study abroad in Thailand in 2025.

Sophia Slucky

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26, 2026-27

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

Concentration: Geology

Sophia is a fourth-year Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences major completing her fourth year in the LEAD Scholars Project. Her previous projects included mitigating receipt waste associated with Cal Poly campus dining at 1901 and Vista Grande. During her second and third years, she used grant funding to establish a sustainable composting system at the CAFES Student Experimental Farm. This project involved developing an operational composting system and instructional manual, as well as hosting composting workshops for students and local community members.
This year, Sophia’s project involves soil-chemistry research on lead contamination at historic sites in San Luis Obispo County, California. Through this work, she hopes to gain experience in environmental and analytical chemistry applications. With the support of the LEAD Scholars Program, Sophia has discovered a passion for applied environmental research related to soils, waste, and contamination. After graduation, she plans to pursue graduate study in environmental chemistry and geochemistry, with the goal of working in advanced research and development.

Alexa Cango Ruiz

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 3rd year

Minors: Biology and Indigenous Studies in Natural Resources and the Environment

I took on different projects throughout the year as I explored my interests in watershed protection, agricultural management and marine resources. This program has been instrumental in improving my communication skills and willingness to take initiative when working towards a project I am passionate about.

Amelia DeEulio

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minors: Sustainable Environments, Land Rehabilitation and Restoration Ecology, and Indigenous Studies in Natural Resources

I joined LEAD Scholars during my second year and have been involved since! I co-created and currently help lead Canopy Crew, a student group connected to the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory that creates green spaces around campus and in the community. Our projects include the Poly Canyon patio – a new gathering space where we graded land and built a rock wall and picnic table - as well as plant sales, tree plantings, and seeding/transplanting workshops. For professional development, I’ve earned my LEED Green Associate accreditation, attended conferences with the Association of Environmental Professional conference and the California Society for Ecological Restoration conference, and participated in Skip the Grid, an interdisciplinary trip installing off-grid solar and cooling systems in the Navajo nation, (which I'll help lead this year). Through LEAD, I’ve gained valuable networking opportunities and strengthened my communication, leadership, and time management skills.

Andrea Hernandez

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year 

For my project last year, I decided to tie in my love for cooking and the environment to tackle food waste amongst college students. I created a website consisting of a small collection of simple recipes that are easy and accessible for the average student. In addition, had the oppurunity last year to host a workshop during Earth Week last year. This year, I am going to focus on environmental policy and environmental justice. I hope for this year to continue to attend conferences, seminars, and foster my professional development. 

Anushe Irani

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Photography and Video

This is my second year as a part of the NRES Lead Scholars Program. I am passionate about environmental justice, ecology and restoration. I plan to continue my project which involves collaborating with local organizations.  Currently I am working on a project centered around pesticide misuse in SLO County as well as a project focused on identifying areas in SLO that could be transformed into native gardens. I am deeply interested in exploring other areas within environmental management this year and look forward to expanding my knowledge through this program.

Bahar Vasli

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

Hi, I’m Bahar Vasli, an Environmental Earth and Soil Science major in my fourth year with the NRES LEAD Scholars program. My project work has focused on waste reduction—starting with Cal Poly’s Dining Hall and expanding to local elementary schools across San Luis Obispo County. Last year, I analyzed Sinsheimer Elementary’s lunchtime waste systems and conducted waste audits before and after the implementation of compost and share bins. I collaborated with the school principal and the district’s food services director to develop practical solutions based on our findings. My current goal is to address the   knowledge gap around proper waste sorting and reduction by creating a sustainable waste practice guide that schools can apply from the classroom to the campus-wide level. Through my LEAD project, I connected with Cal Poly Sustainability and worked as a Zero Waste Ambassador for two years. I’ve continued building my professional experience through opportunities such as attending botany workshops and participating in a week-long service trip with the Catalina Island Conservancy doing and learning about native restoration.

Calli Hill

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year 

Calli has worked with Erin Kennedy to Restore habitat at with a Creeklands Restoration project, bringing together dozens of students to pull invasive weeds and replant native species.

Ella Wodrich

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Biology 

This is my first year in the LEAD Scholar Program and I’m excited to be collaborating with the Morro Bay National Estuary Program. I’m contributing to an ongoing project that focuses on mapping and monitoring submerged vegetation in Morro Bay, with a special emphasis on eelgrass (Zostera marina). By utilizing GIS, remote sensing, and ground-truthing techniques, we aim to evaluate the distribution and health of eelgrass and other vegetation, supporting the Estuary Program’s long-term data collection and conservation efforts.

Ezekiel Pearl

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Land Rehabilitation and Restoration Ecology

Through LEAD I have been working with the Morro Bay Estuary Program to collect data on the recreational usage of the Morro Bay Estuary, along with water quality samples. I am working on this with my cohort member Sean Bernard and have experienced significant professional development through these endeavors.

Isabella Nava

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year 

Minor: Sustainable Environments, Water Science

During my first year in LEAD, my project partner, Anushe and I partnered with the Sierra Club for a pesticide awareness campaign in San Luis Obispo County and collaborated with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to develop an ArcGIS map identifying potential native garden sites in San Luis Obispo. This year, we plan to build on our momentum by finishing our pesticide campaign and finalizing the GIS mapping project through continued collaboration with CNPS and GIS experts. For professional development, I previously served as a Fellow in the Field-Based Learning, Outreach, & Workforce (FLOWS) program with CSUSB and CSUN, and as a Governing Board Intern at South Coast AQMD this past summer. I also aim to continue building my professional network through informational interviews and attending speaker events. Through LEAD, I look forward to continuing to expand my connections and refining my career goals in environmental justice, policy, and advocacy.

Julian Durante

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Land Rehabilitation and Restoration Ecology

My project, The SLO Canopy Crew, is a student group that focuses on all aspects of green space establishment. Housed within the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory, Canopy Crew collects seeds, grows, plants and maintains trees in our campus landscape. We host educational seminars on the importance of urban trees, with a focus on hardy species that will withstand California’s changing climate.

Student leadership roles include landscape manager, inventory manager, social media lead, events lead and more. Email jpdurant@calpoly.edu if you’d like to get involved.

Kai Nunez

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2025-26

Major: Forestry and Fire Science, 1st year 

I’m Kai Aymar Nuñez, a Forestry and Fire Science major from the San Francisco Bay Area. This is my first year with the NRES LEAD Scholars program. With the opportunities granted to me by this program, I will tenaciously pursue improvements to the efficiency of Cal Poly’s waste reduction efforts. For my first quarter in LEAD, I plan to do this by finding eating spaces where compostable containers are used but there are no compost bins present to dispose of them in. By getting green waste bins added to these areas, I hope to reduce the amount of green waste that ends up in the trash. Over the course of this year and beyond, I am wholly confident that my prospects and skills will both appreciate substantially, as a direct result of my being part of LEAD.

Kaitlin Davey

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

 I joined the LEAD scholars my freshman year of college and have been working on following the lifecycle of an abandoned mercury mine in Santa Margarita. The goal of my project is to investigate the current state of mercury contamination at the site and compare it to data recorded prior to an EPA Superfund cleanup that occurred in 2003.

Kelsie Burruss

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Biology

Upon joining the program, I partnered with Maddie Mouw to help her with mapping water fountains on campus. Our goal is to create an interactive map students can use to more easily locate water refill stations on campus and in turn reduce overall plastic consumption at Cal Poly. Being involved with LEAD, helped me develop professional skills as well. I have grown my network immensely through working on this project and talking with other scholars about their work.  Assistant Professors Yamina Pressler and Seeta Sistla have also greatly helped me with time management skills as well as resume and interview tips. This summer, I was able to get an internship in the biology department at Caltrans. The skills I learned in this program helped me reach this accomplishment.

Lotte de Jager

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Forest and Fire Sciences, 3rd year

I am a third year Forest and Fire Science major and I minor in GIS. This is my third year in the LEAD scholars' program. My current project is to create a seed library for Cal Poly students. My goal is to educate students on native plants and seed saving. Overall this program has improved my communication skills and facilitated my professional growth.

Luke Mendoza

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minors: Fruit Science and Plant Protection

I am working on analyzing waste efficiency and effective waste management on Cal Poly’s campus, pulling inputs from various perspectives, including students, faculty, and waste management experts in the San Luis Obispo community. The LEAD Scholars program has truly helped me network with professionals and strengthen my professional development and relationship skills. Thanks to the support of LEAD, I currently serve as the education lead for Skip The Grid, a construction management project at Cal Poly that travels to the Navajo Nation to electrify homes and install solar panels.

Madeline Mouw

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year

Concentration: Geology

I transferred to Cal Poly from a small community college in Lake Tahoe in fall 2023. My first week on campus the weather was warm, and being new to Cal Poly I thought about how great it would be if there was a directory showing where all the water fountains were on campus. Low and behold, I was able to turn this idea into a project through the LEAD scholars program. The goal of this project is that a map will reduce the need for purchase of single use plastic bottles. It also has been fulfilling to apply what I have learned in GIS classes to a real life application.

Mariel Dawson

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25

Major:Environmental Earth and Soil Science, 4th year 

I am excited to be in my 1st year with the NRES LEAD program and I am eager to apply my passion for sustainability and agroecology in my LEAD project. My project's goal is to raise awareness about the role of small farms in global food production, in collaboration with City Farm SLO. By comparing the nutritional value and caloric yield of food produced on small organic farms vs. large industrial agricultural operations, I aim to challenge common perceptions of agriculture. Attending the EcoFarm Conference in January with LEAD's professional development fund, will enable me to network with professionals, expand my knowledge in regenerative agriculture, and contribute to positive environmental change for local communities.

Melissa Evans

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2022, 2023-24

Major: Environmental Management and Protection

Minors: Biology, Packaging, and Sustainable Environments

I joined the first LEAD Scholar cohort during my third year of study in 2023. I have worked to enhance green spaces on campus and to increase the Sustainability Catalog course listing for the Orfalea College of Business. For professional development I also attended a regenerative farming and bamboo architecture program at a learning institution in Ecuador.

Sean Bernard

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2023-24, 2024-25

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year

Minor: Land Rehabilitation and Restoration Ecology

I will be starting my second year in the LEAD scholar program where I will be continuing my work with the Morro Bay National Estuary program. Zeke Pearl and I do population surveys at various sites around the Morro Bay estuary to estimate recreational use and potential impacts to the sites. The LEAD program has allowed me to connect with other students in our department and has been an incredible experience.

Sophia Kast

Years in LEAD Scholar Program: 2024-25, 2025-26

Major: Environmental Management and Protection, 4th year 

This is my second year in the LEAD Scholars program. Last year, I volunteered with the Morro Bay National Estuary Program on their Recreational Use Project, where I conducted recreational use surveys and tested water quality. This year, I want to focus on water quality monitoring around SLO. I am also hoping to get LEED Green Associate certified this year as part of my professional development.