Climate Science & Policy Program

Aaron Pridgen is a transitioning military officer who served in the US Marine Corps for over twenty years.  He was commissioned from the US Naval Academy where he studied systems engineering.  He has graduate degrees from Georgia Tech and the Naval Postgraduate School in aerospace engineering.  He is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School and member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.  His UCSD experiences include the Sustainable Business Practices certificate program at UCSD Extended Studies.  Most recently, his military career concluded as one of the training and education directors at a US Navy formal school in San Diego.  He recently completed an internship program at Joby Aviation supporting flight testing of the JAS4-1 eVTOL air taxi.  Aaron is a catechist at St Brigid Catholic Church in San Diego and happily married, for over 17 years, to Marlo Arnold.  They are the proud parents of two sons—Clark, 9, and Ryan, 5.

Aaron chose the MAS CSP program because it will help him pivot from a successful career as a military officer toward a new career helping to combat climate change.  He is excited to grow into his next professional image with project-based research under the guidance of world-class professionals and networking opportunities unique to the program.  Aaron’s climate interests include transforming the aviation industry to achieve net zero emissions, and, in particular, investigating GHG emissions reduction pathways for the aviation industry in southern California considering the impacts of integrated private-public partnerships and maturing clean-energy technologies.

Abigail, “Abby” Shultz is originally from Summerville, SC, near Charleston. Growing up on the coast, she has always loved and been fascinated by the ocean. That love grew into a passion for not only environmental and marine conservation, but also for the preservation of our coasts. She attended the University of Miami and graduated in 2024 with a degree in Oceanography and a minor in Marine Policy. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Abby gained experience in conservation, environmental rehabilitation, and public outreach as a conservation intern for the South Carolina Aquarium. In addition to her academic work, she was a member of the Chi Omega Fraternity, a marine science honor society, and was a lifeguard on campus. Apart from academics, some of Abby’s interests include traveling as much as possible, exercising, beach days, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Abby chose the MAS CSP program because of the distinguished faculty, resources, and peers. Her specific interests include sea level rise research, adaptation policies for climate change, and coastal zone management. She is excited to work with individuals who share her passion for environmental conservation, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. Abby has only ever lived on the east coast, so she is ready to move to San Diego and begin working to conserve our marine environment and making coastal zones more sustainable, and also finally learning how to surf.

Anito graduated with a degree in theoretical physics from the University of Galway, Ireland, in 2023. He was first exposed to climate physics after following classes at Scripps Institute of Oceanography as an exchange student in 2022. In this last year, Anito has studied different areas of physics to have a better understanding of climate change. He followed courses at the Max Plank Institute that looked into nuclear fusion and green energies. He also partook in a research internship at the Insituto Superior Tecnico, mapping the ocean floor by means of a full waveform inversion. His love for the oceans came during his time at the ‘airsea lab’ at the University of Galway, where he helped create models to better understand air-sea interactions.  He hopes this Master’s will allow him to learn more aspects of the climate crisis across different disciplines to better tackle the issue, alongside like-minded people and to learn from world class researchers. Outside of academics, Anito loves reading, surfing and playing sports.

Autumn graduated from the University of Washington in 2023, earning a Bachelor of Science in Climate Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. Following her graduation, she was accepted into an internship at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies during the summer of 2023. There, she contributed to the Climate Change Research Initiative, focusing on the impacts of volcanic eruptions on the El Niño Southern Oscillation, global precipitation patterns, and surface temperatures. This research revealed to her the delicate balance of Earth's atmospheric conditions and highlighted the severe implications for regions already suffering from water scarcity due to climate change.In spring 2024, Autumn combined her passions for teaching and traveling by living in Spain, where she taught English to school children, deepening her understanding of different cultures and global environmental issues.

Driven by a desire to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change, Autumn is particularly passionate about pursuing a career in climate policy. She believes that effective policy-making is crucial for implementing solutions to the climate crisis. Additionally, she is dedicated to exploring the intersection between climate change and gender inequality, aiming to develop strategies that support and empower women in the areas most affected by environmental changes. Outside her professional interests, Autumn enjoys reading, baking, sailing, exploring new cultures, and cloud gazing. She is excited to be part of the MAS Climate Science and Policy program, eager to learn from professionals with diverse expertise, which will offer her a comprehensive understanding of how climate change affects every aspect of life.

Cassie graduated from UCSD in Spring 2024 with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology and a minor in Climate Change Studies. During her undergraduate career, she received Provost Honors all four years and maintained a GPA of 3.87. Cassie joined the Phi Sigma Rho STEM Sorority in 2021 and has served as their Vice President of Internal Programming for two years, gaining experience in organizing large private events. She volunteered in the Aburto Lab from 2022-2024 and worked on numerous projects focused on ecosystem conservation, including a systematic literature review focused on climate change solutions for the Gulf of California in 2023. Cassie is currently heading her own project focused on water pollution across the California-Mexico border, with hopes to publish by the end of Summer 2024. She is very much looking forward to making connections with our guest lectures and to starting some internship positions in law office settings this year. Cassie is extremely excited to continue pursuing a career as an environmental lawyer focused on halting toxic pollution, restoring damaged ecosystems, and progressing climate change solutions, with the hope to someday work on a global scale. She plans to focus on ocean ecosystems as she views them to be the Earth’s most valuable resource and to be the global resource that requires the most protection.

Damari Nelson was raised in Woodbridge, Virginia. As an undergrad, he began his college career as a mechanical engineering major. But he soon realized that his passion lies in the world, traveling, experiencing other cultures, animals, and the environment. Soon Damari started studying International Relations and environmental science and how to apply his studies on an international level. This led him to become more involved with science including climate mitigation, ecology, biology, and more. Damari worked for various labs at his campus’ sciences department under various professors. When he graduated, he was offered an internship position in Tokyo, Japan to work with green technology in major cities with large opportunities. Unfortunately this was around the time that the pandemic started and his offer was rescinded. This fueled Damari’s dream to travel the world which led him to go to other countries by himself including some in Asia and Europe. Damari moved to Santa Cruz, California in 2022 for better opportunities and very recently moved to San Diego to further his academic career at UCSD. Damari is hoping his time at UCSD will allow him to seek career paths that will lead him to work with NASA, another dream of his.

Frank Fleck, a midwest transplant and longtime San Diego resident, graduated from San Diego State University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.  After working for almost ten years in the private sector on military contracting in the communication and aerospace industries, he then transitioned to military service in the United States Marine Corps.  After seven years of service, he has now transitioned from active-duty military to pursue a Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy.  Frank’s prior experience and industry knowledge in government and electrical engineering will provide a unique perspective to the Climate Science Cohort. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, hiking, and spending time with family.

Frank will use the fundamental knowledge developed at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, to provide practical and economical solutions in the blossoming field of climate sustainability.  He plans to remain in the San Diego area and work on either small- or large-scale projects to develop the local sustainability industry or continue the progress of the green transformation in the region.  He believes addressing tomorrow's problems today is the key to remaining on the cutting edge of business development and how to act as a responsible citizen in this global endeavor.

Grace Inez Adams is originally from Denver, Colorado, but has been living in California for almost six years now. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a degree in Spanish with a Journalism Minor. She then went on to do an MA program in Investigative Journalism at City, University of London. Following completion of the program, she returned to Los Angeles to work as a reporter for the Santa Monica Daily Press. In this position she covered everything from homelessness to school board meetings to illegal tree removals. Through this work she realized she is most passionate about covering environment and climate-change related stories and wanted to develop her knowledge and understanding of these topics to be able to do so in a more effective and impactful way.

This led her to join the California Climate Action Corps (CCAC), a fellowship program aimed at educating and empowering people around the state to take action on climate change. Through this program she has worked with schools to develop climate literacy initiatives such as on-site composting and garden-based environmental education programs. She also has experience working in outdoor education, teaching kids to mountain bike, rock climb, kayak, paddle board and more. She believes that communication and education around climate change is key to addressing the issue and is eager to learn as a member of the 2024-25 CSP cohort.

Greta Davis grew up in Los Angeles and recently graduated from UCSD with a BA in Music, with emphasis in vocal performance, and a BS in Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. During her undergraduate program, she was employed with the Scripps Whale Acoustics Laboratory, where she worked with acoustic data from ships in the canadian arctic to create an interactive soundscape for public access. Though she has a background in the natural sciences, she is growing increasingly more aware of the important role played by policy and public outreach as it pertains to the climate crisis, and hopes to explore it more in the coming year. She is passionate about the conservation and protection of Earth’s natural resources and about climate change activism; she is especially prone to implementing environmentally friendly lifestyle practices at home (having been inspired, in part, by Al Gore’s keynote speech at this year’s undergraduate commencement).

She loves to dance, and is especially passionate about her role on UCSD’s competitive ballroom dance team, though she also enjoys exploring the salsa and bachata community in San Diego. She is vegan, and loves to hike, swim, cook, bake, tend to her two cats, and play the drums. She is also a classically trained Mezzo-Soprano, a fact that is rarely ever relevant.

Originally from Burlington, Vermont, Hadley Menk graduated in 2021 from the University of St Andrews with a BA in Geography and Modern History. In college, Hadley took courses on subjects including coastal processes, ice and climate, and biogeography. Her undergraduate dissertation examined the impacts of extreme precipitation on lake chemical recovery in the Adirondack Park, New York.  During college, Hadley interned at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, where she built a GIS visualization of their $7.6 million in environmental literacy grants and supported climate change workshops for public school teachers. Additionally, Hadley was a climatology research assistant for Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux at the University of Vermont for three years, and co-authored a paper on the meteorological drivers of groundwater research that was published in Hydrological Processes in 2023.

Prior to Scripps, Hadley worked as an environmental consultant at The Cadmus Group in Washington D.C., supporting contracts with the EPA. She specialized in drinking water and water quality, especially emerging chemical and microbial contaminants in drinking water. Her work included providing technical and communications support for EPA’s PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation and EPA’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. At Scripps, Hadley is interested in exploring the impacts of climate change on surface water hydrology through remote sensing, particularly the impacts of extreme weather. She chose CSP for the opportunity to jump back into scientific research while gaining a formal education in science policy.

Before arriving at Scripps, Hale Brown was Project Manager for three years for The Billion Minds Project and COP² (cop2.org), leading global initiatives focused on the intersection of climate change and mental health impacts. In this role, Hale coordinated international dialogues, facilitated youth engagement, matched partners globally, and contributed to global strategies and policy reports. They led the development of the "Roadmap for Care and Change," delivered at COP28, and managed collaborations with over 35 partner organizations under the Race to Resilience initiative to integrate psychological resilience into climate adaptation efforts. Hale facilitated over 10 regional participatory dialogues, designed and organized youth training in qualitative analysis, and supervised research assistants. 

Since graduating from Bard College in 2018, Hale has worked across institutions including NYU Langone Health, Columbia Climate School, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia School of Social Work, and the Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health. Their experience spans project management, public health initiatives, global mental health training, and both quantitative and qualitative research, with a focus on the intersection of mental health and climate change. Hale will present on this intersection, specifically on extreme weather events and mental health in climate-vulnerable communities, at the American Public Health Association 2024 Expo this Fall, using results from a large-scale survey of women living in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. 

With their education from Scripps, Hale aims to further equip civil society with robust mental health strategies necessary to strengthen locally-led climate responses.

Ian joins the Scripps Institute after three years at Deloitte Consulting LLP, where the client he most prominently served was the State of Tennessee’s Tenncare Division of Long-Term Services and Supports. Ian worked on designing, developing and managing the PERLSS (Pre-Admission Evaluations and Referrals for Long-Term Services and Support) application to be used by State workers. PERLSS is a flagship healthcare solution servicing ~70,000 of Tennessee’s most vulnerable population, who make up about 40% of the State’s Medicaid spending. Ian integrated policy requirements and user feedback into efficient solutions for the PERLSS system. This work introduced Ian to government policy and its implementation at the state and local level, peaking his interest further into how policy is determined.

His interest in climate has been present since childhood, however grew with the severity of the issue. Recent forest fires in his parent’s home country of France were particularly shocking, and Ian ultimately committed himself to a change from the healthcare to environmental sector. Within the environmental space, Ian is particularly interested in certain topics such as the renewable future of aviation and other forms of transportation. His work in consulting unfortunately earned him a high carbon footprint from air travel, yet it also showed him that major industries are dependent on aviation - a cost he believes must be balanced, not removed. Prior to Deloitte, Ian graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Mathematics-Biology.

Isha Trivedi was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. Having grown up on the coast, she has observed the impacts of climate change on coastal regions firsthand. Living in Florida has fueled her passion for studying climate change and coastal resilience. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy, and a B.A. in Economics. Studying environmental science in her undergraduate courses inspired her to study climate science in depth. Isha’s undergraduate research project involved evaluating the effectiveness of contaminant removal from water sent to a constructed wetland. The project allowed Isha to study an environmental tool and analyze its efficiency and impact on the surrounding region. This research experience further developed her passion for exploring adaptation strategies.

Isha chose to pursue the Master’s in Climate Science and Policy from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to study coastal and oceanic processes, the impacts of climate change, and adaptation in coastal regions. She looks forward to learning from the faculty and experts at the program and hopes to work on implementing climate solutions in coastal areas after graduating. In her free time, Isha loves to read, bake, and spend time outdoors, especially near the ocean.

Jacob Tidwell received a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California Santa Cruz. Since graduating, he has worked as a landscaper, construction worker, habitat restoration intern, technical editor for an environmental consulting firm, and most recently, as an environmental research assistant through the United Nations Volunteer program. Jacob’s research interests include Nature-Based Solutions for addressing the impacts of climate change, transboundary water resource conflicts, and analyzing various interactions between societies and the environment under a rapidly changing climate. In his free time, Jacob loves to surf, backpack, read historical fiction, and train for triathlons.

Jaden graduated from Columbia University in the spring with a degree in Environmental Science. She is originally from Orange County, California, and she is excited to explore La Jolla while living close to both her brother and sister in San Diego. While at Columbia, she researched iron oxides as a method for arsenic-contaminated soil remediation, combining her interests in chemistry, geoscience, and environmental justice. The project focused on a contaminated site in Denmark, and it found that iron oxide remediation is a natural, sustainable solution that is effective in completely removing arsenic from soil on long timescales. In addition to her interests in chemistry and environmental justice, Jaden is excited to learn more about advances in marine conservation technology as well as potential avenues to expand renewable energy sources. She has experience in science communication after working as an intern at EarthScope Consortium, and she hopes to integrate her writing and social media experience into her future career. She particularly enjoys scientific writing, and she has published several articles through the Columbia Climate School and EarthScope. Jaden is a part of the softball team at UCSD, and in her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, exploring, and reading.

Raised on the shores of Virginia Beach, Virginia, where the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay meet, Kirsten has always had a deep love and respect for the ocean and its species. A graduate of the George Washington University Law School, Kirsten obtained her Juris Doctor and was a practicing attorney for close to a decade before choosing to pursue the environmental law and conservation policy career she has long dreamed about.

Kirsten is grateful and humbled to begin this career at Scripps, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and amongst a team of dedicated faculty and brilliant scientific minds on the forefront of oceanographic and climate research. Kirsten is especially interested in the development of marine protected areas (MPAs) for both conservation purposes and as a tool to mitigate the effects of climate change. She is also passionate about “30 by 30” — the commitment to protect 30% of our planet’s land, waters, and oceans by 2030. In addition to studying these areas while at Scripps, Kirsten also hopes to conduct research on the impacts climate change has on sea turtle populations and to develop solutions to ensure their survival in the face of warming and rising waters. In her free time, Kirsten enjoys cherishing every moment with her incredible and supportive significant other and their two adorable dogs, surfing and free diving, photography, living purposefully and peacefully, and practicing yoga.

Lucas Jeetan received B.A. in Biological Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego with a minor in Environmental Law. As a San Diego native, from a young age Lucas dreamed of working at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and now intends to focus his research around extreme weather events and associated natural disasters. Throughout his undergraduate journey, Lucas has amassed experience as a field geologist working on formation analysis, as well as layer mapping in Death Valley, California and as a field archeologist working on artifact analysis and land survey in the Four Corners region of northern New Mexico for the Jicarilla and Apache Reservation. In his spare time, he finds the most enjoyment while camping, hiking, wrestling, kickboxing and working as a volunteer wrestling coach.  

Lucas seeks to further his understanding of extreme weather events and the increasing severity of wildfires. Upon completion of the CSP program, he intends to fight wildland fires for seasonal work and to pursue environmental law after attending law school at a later date. Lucas seeks to make a quantifiable impact in the fields of environmental protections and environmental justice. In doing so, he understands one must be willing to do the hard work required, no matter how great the effort.

Lucy Terry graduated cum laude from the University of Washington in 2023 with a B.A. in political science and double minors in environmental studies and Indigenous studies. Her upbringing in southern California exposed her to climate impacts at a young age and inspired her to study how environmental issues are managed. At UW, she discovered her passion for environmental justice and the politics behind climate governance. In 2021, Lucy established the Environmental Policy Student Association at UW to foster collaboration at the intersection of science and policy. EPSA became a space dedicated to amplifying diverse perspectives in environmental fields and improving access to professional opportunities for prospective environmental policymakers.

Upon graduating, Lucy interned with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. For six months, she conducted research, led strategic communication, and facilitated program coordination for CSIS’s Global Food and Water Security Program. Her research focused on climate impacts on food and water systems and agricultural adaptation policy. While at CSIS, she collaborated on strategic partnership management and high-level policy engagements, including the launches for the United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) in the World and The Unjust Climate reports. These experiences provided her with formative insight into science communication and global climate politics. After being based in Seattle for five years, Lucy is excited to return to California for the MAS CSP program. She is interested in enhancing her understanding of climate science as it relates to environmental security and water scarcity.

Luke has had a deep connection to the ocean his entire life which has manifested itself into an academic and professional career in marine science. Growing up on the beaches of Orange County, California, Luke quickly fostered a sense of admiration and stewardship for his local marine environment. His academic pursuits led him to receive an AS in Marine Science from Orange Coast College and a BS in Marine Biology at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD. At both institutions he engaged in career-applicable, hands-on experience both in labs and in the field. These experiences included working with non profit organizations and government agencies on endeavors such as endangered species repopulation programs, co-authoring a published research paper, ecosystem monitoring projects, oceanographic research cruises, and public outreach initiatives. Concurrently and for the last few years, Luke has been working as a marine biology researcher and outreach coordinator for a company aiming to revolutionize the carbon sequestration industry through a sustainable oceanographic geoengineering process.

Luke ultimately decided to pursue the MAS CSP program when he recognized he could use his experience as a marine biology researcher and scientific communicator in order to bridge the gap between the scientific community and policy makers. His overall goal in this program is to learn how to effectively translate scientific research into meaningful, data driven decision making and community stakeholder engagement in order to ensure the proper implementation of (and support for) policy to combat the existential threat of global climate change.

Olivia is joining the MAS CSP program after spending most of her life wanting to help save the planet. She credits her fourth-grade teacher with sparking this desire after an impactful lesson on global warming. She was unsure of how to actualize this dream until she discovered chemistry and its unique ability to offer solutions to climate change. After completing a BS in Chemistry, Olivia began working in a petroleum testing lab and eventually segued into a new role working on novel technology to enhance performance of gasoline engine catalytic converters. She has spent the last 4 and ½ years at Johnson Matthey–a company that annually reduces 20 million tonnes of pollutants–and has finally felt like she was making a difference.

Alongside her contribution to emission reductions, she found more outlets for her humanitarian passions which encompass sustainability, women’s rights, community advocacy, diversity, and peer safety. She became involved in several employee resource groups (Gender Equality Network, Black Employee Network, and Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging). In March 2023, she hosted a global presentation about Intersectional Environmentalism (inspired by author Leah Thomas) and realized that she wanted to find a way to incorporate environmental justice into mitigating climate change. She began her search for an interdisciplinary program that combined science with all the intricacies of the world around her–and eventually she found UCSD’s MAS CSP program. Olivia looks forward to the knowledge she will learn, friendships she will foster, and all the positive changes she and her cohort will bring to the world.

Born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Pete graduated from Duke University in 2020 with a degree in Public Policy, earning highest distinction for an honors thesis on solar energy policy. Pete minored in Environmental Science and earned a certificate in Science and Society. At Duke, Pete co-captained the Men’s Club Soccer team for three years.

After college, Pete moved over 4,000 miles to Hawaii to work with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission as a fellow through the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Innovators Program, where he researched best practices on end-of-life management for renewable energy resources and analyzed impacts of COVID-19 on utility operations. After the one-year fellowship, Pete joined the Commission full-time as a utility analyst, working for three more years on distributed energy policies, grid planning, energy equity and justice, performance-based regulation, and renewable energy procurement. Working on the development and implementation of energy policy issues in Hawaii, a state with ambitious goals and unique issues, was a great opportunity for Pete to learn about the landscape of energy in the US and gain experience working on specific, impactful issues.

Pete plans to focus his career on addressing and mitigating climate change, the most urgent issue facing the world today. Pete is excited for the academic and research opportunities in the Climate Science and Policy program, particularly climate science courses, which will supplement his existing background in energy policy. Outside of school, Pete enjoys hiking, climbing, trivia nights, video games, and fantasy and sci-fi novels.

Formally trained as a physicist, Reza is interested in how emerging technologies can help efficiently tackle climate change through realistic policy making. He has previously contributed to various development projects Based in British Columbia, Canada as part of start-ups which have grown to become well established and respected companies, recognized by the National Research Council. With the ongoing environmental emergencies especially in the western Canada and the United States (e.g. the wildfires), Reza has been constantly seeking ways to mitigate these effects through timely warning systems and other data science and machine learning projects.

As an avid climber, skier, and (beginner) surfer, Sharan appreciates grounded movement and spending time outdoors. She graduated in 2023 from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Society and Environment and a minor in Sustainable Design. She is driven by a deep desire to make systemic changes for the improvement of the environment and its people. She’s looking forward to working with her 2025 MAS CSP cohort!

Skylar Enge is currently pursuing her master’s degree in climate science and policy while also playing for the university’s women's soccer team. She recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Pepperdine University where she earned a degree in Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship. Skylar was a four-year member and a team captain for the Pepperdine women’s soccer team. During that time she earned academic all-district honors and was recognized on her conference’s all-academic first team. 

During her final semester at Pepperdine, Skylar interned as an HR and Development Intern at a solar energy company–Spruce Power. Her role was to transfer existing content into a human resources-based corporate training program that also provides education on how solar panels produce electricity. Skylar spent a summer studying sustainability and non-profit organizations in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During her time there, she delved into Argentina’s vast watershed, examining the impacts of the climate crisis and studying local water conservation initiatives while also experiencing the country’s natural biodiversity. Skylar is passionate about revolutionizing food systems. Specifically, she aims to develop innovative solutions that meet the needs of a growing global population. Skylar is committed to ensuring that global food production practices protect the land, address food security, utilize indigenous knowledge, and help mitigate climate change.

Skylar was born and raised in Oahu, Hawai’i, where she developed a deep love for nature. She attended college at Cal Poly Pomona, graduating with a BS in Environmental Biology and a minor in Political Science. Skylar is passionate about the intersection of science and policy, particularly how it influences environmental change.

During college, she held various jobs, including law office intern, waitress, and tutor. However, she fell in love with her college regenerative farming job, where she learned to work harmoniously with nature. After college, Skylar worked as an R&D scientist in San Diego, developing sustainable substrate alternatives for the hydroponic industry. With her interests in science, policy, and agriculture, Skylar is excited to embark on a new adventure with the CSP program at Scripps. In the future, she hopes to improve food systems for both people and the planet.

In her free time, Skylar enjoys surfing, hiking, and camping, even if she's not particularly skilled at all these activities. She also likes to meet new people and learn new things, two things she’s particularly excited about this coming year.

Raised in Bozeman Montana, Trevor has a deep affinity for the polar regions and has been to both: first, as a dishwasher at McMurdo Station, and then as an icebreaker driver in the U.S. Coast Guard. Trevor is motivated by the beauty of the poles and their importance to the global climate system, and wants to improve his scientific understanding before returning to the Coast Guard and helping to shape consequential decisions as new American icebreakers are constructed, Arctic shipping lanes are delineated, and climate science is conducted.

Trevor graduated from the University of Washington in 2009 with BA’s in Classics and History, and a master’s in archaeology from a Turkish university in Istanbul in 2012. His first career was in the humanities, teaching Latin, Greek, and Ancient Roman history at the middle school, high school, and undergraduate level, working as an archaeologist in Israel, and writing a book about Medieval Constantinople. Later, Trevor elevated his interest in the polar regions, taking a janitorial job at McMurdo Station in 2013-2014, and enlisting in the Coast Guard in 2017, where he worked as an ice pilot supporting polar science on USCGC Healy, and then as a Search and Rescue Controller in Juneau Alaska. He is currently on “Temporary Separation” from the Coast Guard to pursue higher education.

Trevor has a small family including his wife Zoe, who is even more interested in the oceans than he is, and their dog Stanley. He loves running, yoga, video games, foreign languages, paddle boarding, and wants to learn how to surf while at Scripps.