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We are pleased to introduce the 2023-2024 cohort:

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Anneliese Hasenbalg

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Anneliese Hasenbalg graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2023 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Business Administration. To finish her degree, as a part of Anneliese’s capstone experience, she was fortunate to work as an intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Alaska Fisheries Science Center, located in Seattle. At NOAA, she is the co-author of an internal exhibit about the histories of the Miller Freeman and the Bell M. Shimada, both former research vessels in NOAA's fleet. Her research, in particular, focuses on the intersectionality of historical legacies and how varying interpretations of them can impact our present day. 

Anneliese chose to continue her education within the MAS Climate Science and Policy program because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, which will enable her to not only continue studying issues she cares greatly about, but also open herself up to learning about new topics and expanding her professional network within San Diego. Outside of academics, Anneliese is an avid baker, reader, and martial artist. She is looking forward to learning how to surf!

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Caitlin Stapp

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Born and raised in southern California, Caitlyn Stapp’s love for the ocean has always been a guiding passion in her life. During her time studying marine biology at CSU Fullerton, she got involved in undergraduate research through an extraordinary program called the Southern California Ecosystems Research Program (SCERP). As a result, Caitlin spent two years working in the Functional Anatomy, Biomechanics, and Biomaterials lab studying the armored scales and denticulation of various fishes before graduating and continuing her education and research at CSU Long Beach. In 2021, she completed her master’s degree and thesis on the evolution and diversity of armadillo armor in the Mammal Lab. Subsequently, she started teaching as a biology professor, however, her personal and professional interests had begun to shift towards environmental science. 

After diving further into ocean and climate science Caitlin decided that, as much as she enjoys teaching and research, her ambition is to be at the intersection of science, policy, and outreach. Caitlin chose the MAS CSP because the interdisciplinary nature of this program represents an unparalleled opportunity to build on her academic experience and apply emerging science to our current and pressing climate-related issues. Scripps is truly ideal for facilitating professional growth in this space and she is excited to grow as both a student and scientist with the help of this incredible network.

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Connor King

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Connor King is originally from Mill Valley, CA in the Bay Area. He graduated from UC San Diego in 2023 with a degree in Anthropology and a minor in Climate Change Studies. He has experience in regional planning through an internship at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) in which he helped implement various clean transportation and climate resilience projects in the San Diego region. During his time at UCSD, he was also a member of the Men’s Water Polo Team. Outside of the classroom, he spends his time at the beach surfing or swimming. 

Connor is pursuing a Master’s in Climate Science and Policy from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography because of the incredible program faculty and to strengthen his understanding of current projections and solutions on climate change. The knowledge and skills gained through this program will enable and enhance his ability to serve communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

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Ian Campbell

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Ian Campbell is so excited to be a part of this cohort of future environmental leaders and chose the MAS CSP program because it is the only masters program they came across that takes a truly holistic approach to addressing climate change by teaching its scientific and political dimensions. Ian is interested in solutions that tackle the issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation simultaneously. An area they would like to continue exploring is how shoreline armoring can be both equitable and sustainable. Another focus is correlation between the heat island effect, social groups, and public health, and how urban areas can become more livable and capture carbon through regreening efforts. Overall, Ian believes the climate crisis makes addressing the racist and classist structure of American cities all the more urgent. After this program, Ian can see themself working on a city climate action committee, but remains open minded. 

Ian is originally from Ann Arbor (near Detroit) and graduated from the University of Michigan in 2019 with a BA in Environmental Studies with a focus in sustainable planning. Ian focused much of his studies on the relationships between freshwater coastal towns and the Great Lakes. Since then, Ian has been living in Utah working as a wilderness therapy guide and a sustainability coordinator. Ian loves the ocean, and looks forward to getting to know the marine life on the San Diego coast.

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Jadah Ryan

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Jadah Ryan is originally from Kansas City, but has been chasing the ocean her whole life, so San Diego has been a dream. Jadah’s academic background most recently includes an undergraduate focus on climate change and archaeology with a biology minor, which she pursued at the University of California San Diego, finishing in 2023. Throughout her undergraduate career, Jadah has gained first-hand experience with environmental archaeology through the Balu’a Regional Archaeological Project in Jordan and through volunteering at Scripps’ Human Ecology Lab. She chose the MAS CSP program because it aligns so well with her interests and she wanted to be able to work with and learn from the climate experts in the program to produce a meaningful project while further expanding my understanding of climate change. 

Jadah’s specific research interests include environmental archaeology, paleoclimatology, paleoceanography, and preservation of cultural heritage; she is interested in using environmental archaeology, paleoclimatology, and paleoceanography to study past climates and environments, how they have changed over time, and how people have responded to such changes in order to better understand our current climate crisis. Aside from academics, Jadah enjoys spending time at the beach, swimming, and spending time with friends and family.

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Kailtyn Nichols

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Kaitlyn, originally from Sacramento CA, has always had a strong passion for the ocean and climate science, and it took some time to realize that she could make a life out of these passions. After highschool, she became a medical assistant and worked as a medical scribe for a few years. A trip to San Diego ignited her true passion for marine science and she decided to quit her job and go back to school with the intention of being accepted into UCSD to pursue marine biology. From there, Kaitlyn went through four years of community college to learn the basics. During this time she got married to the love of her life and they have adopted two cats together and have created a little family! She also worked as a professional mermaid to help spread awareness for ocean conservation, attending schools to help educate youth through the eyes of a mermaid. 

Once Kaitlyn was accepted into UCSD, she was lucky to earn a spot in the Climate Science and Epidemiology lab at Scripps. In her time with the lab, Kaitlyn helped conduct research on diesel truck pollution commuting from large warehouses through marginalized communities and how this pollution affects human health. Kaitlyn chose the MAS Climate Science and Policy program because it will give her the background that she is looking for in order to pursue her passions of a future working to build a sustainable future for the ocean, the planet, and humans!

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Kelly White

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Kelly graduated from UC San Diego in 2023 with a B.S. in Environmental Systems (Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution). She started as a biophysics major, switched to environmental policy, and finally found her calling in ecology. Kelly’s passion for the environment sparked when she chose Environmental Science as the topic for her Extended Essay for the International Baccalaureate program in high school. This led Kelly to write her first research paper which opened up a whole new world of passion, and allowed her to feel purposeful in her learning. Kelly immediately felt drawn to the issue of climate change, and knew it was her calling to continue learning how she could help. Kelly extended her research experience through her work as a Green Labs intern at the Sustainability Resource Center on UCSD’s campus. Through this internship, she learned the importance of outreach, education, and research. Kelly chose the MAS in Climate Science and Policy program because she felt drawn to extending her learning and plans on using this program to help expand her knowledge to assist in the holistic solution to climate change. Kelly has lived in Southern California her entire life, and grew up coming to the La Jolla Shores so feels incredibly lucky being able to study something she is so passionate about in a place so close to home.

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Mitchell Wilson

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Mitchell recently completed his undergraduate degree at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles receiving he Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies with a minor in Sociology. He played collegiate soccer at LMU for five seasons, and will be utilizing his final year of eligibility here at UCSD in the Fall of 2023. Mitchell chose the Climate Science and Policy Program mainly due to his dedication to the environment, desire to protect it for future generations, and love for the great outdoors. Working as a California State Ocean Lifeguard for five years, he has a great passion for the ocean, specifically marine life as animal conservation is something he finds extremely interesting. Working as an environmentalist for Scripps Oceanography, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, or National Park Service have been some areas of investigation for future job careers. He is, of course, open to any opportunity. In his free time when he is not studying or playing soccer, you can find him at the beach surfing, in the mountains hiking, or watching sports of any kind. He is super excited to see what this year brings!

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Phoebe Skok

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Growing up near Seattle, Phoebe has always been enraptured by the natural world. In 2019, they traded pines for eucalyptus trees and spent six months studying abroad in Queensland, Australia, during high school. Six months later, Australia burned in devastating bushfires; Phoebe’s heart broke and pushed them to work on climate change. Phoebe graduated from Bellevue College in 2021 with their AA in Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Political Science and their high school diploma. Phoebe then graduated from UC San Diego in 2023 with a BA in Anthropology: Climate Change and Human Solutions and a minor in French. During undergrad, Phoebe joined the anthropology honors program and researched why theatre is a valuable asset to climate action. She was part of the 2023 cohort of Climate Justice Action Resilience Scholars, an interdisciplinary, project-based research program centered on climate justice and community engagement, and remains an active Steering Committee member of UCSD's Green New Deal coalition.

Phoebe currently serves as a communications assistant at UCSD. Previously, she was the Communications and Outreach Intern at Community Loaves, the Sales and Outreach Intern at Era Zero Waste (a Berlin-based sustainable grocery delivery service), an editor of the Climate Change Review, and a barista. Phoebe wants to work at the intersection of local and global food systems; the MAS-CSP program will provide a firm jumping-off point. When not engrossed in a book or exploring new places, Phoebe is probably testing vegan recipes, doing a crossword, or jumping into cold water.

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Sarah Hmoud

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Sarah was born and raised in San Diego. Her hobbies include rock climbing, hiking, baking, crocheting, painting, and reading fantasy novels. Sarah recently graduated from SDSU with her B.S. in May 2023. Her childhood passion for the natural world led her to major in Geography with an emphasis in Water, Climate and Ecosystems and minor in Sustainability. Throughout undergrad, she gained a greater understanding of climate sciences and realized that she wanted to make a positive difference by combating climate change and the impacts it has on disadvantaged communities. During her internship with the non-profit Tree San Diego, Sarah witnessed how the stark difference between the amount and health of trees in the more affluent communities compared to the less affluent communities was shockingly evident and a prime example of the inequalities people face due to wealth disparities. Having access to a clean and healthy environment to live in is a basic human right. Establishing policies that work to prevent the exacerbation of climate change is one of the best ways to accomplish her personal goals of making a difference. This is why she chose the Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy at SIO; Sarah hopes to advance her knowledge of ecology and to solve issues of environmental disparities through a political framework.

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Sarah Mulholland

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Sarah Mulholland is the Corporate Responsibility Lead at WTW. Sarah is responsible for the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) internal programs at WTW including the management of the company’s environmental footprint, employee engagement through charitable giving and ESG reporting. Sarah joined WTW in 2017 and held various roles supporting the professional services procurement portfolio, co-led the procurement integration program for Finance Transformation, and various merger and acquisition transition activities. She co-led the WTW Gender Equity Network for the Philadelphia market – engaging local colleagues and fostering inclusion and collaboration. Sarah holds a B.S. in Business Law and Finance from Drexel University and lives in San Diego.

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Tom Germeau

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Tom holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Economy and a Master’s degree in Information Systems, both obtained from the University of Lausanne’s School of Business in Switzerland. In July, he completed a 9-month internship at The SHIFT Agency, a sustainability consulting firm specializing in sports. This experience provided him with project management skills and fueled his desire to study current environmental issues from a scientific perspective. Driven by these reasons, Tom has applied to the MAS CSP program to examine human interactions with available resources and the impact of our actions. He also aims to explore the levers and policies necessary for achieving an ecological transition. Throughout his academic journey, Tom has actively engaged in various extracurricular projects, including the creation of a video channel addressing the environmental impact of various sectors of our economy such as luxury, sports, and politics. Tom is passionate about sports and nature, and he has always made them an integral part of his agenda. Whether it’s surfing, football, tennis, or trekking, you can always count on him to join you in your leisure activities. He is also eager to discover new realms and interests.

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Vivek Tejaswi

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Mr. Vivek Tejaswi is a policy research and public governance practitioner with a strong background in climate change governance, social science, and technology innovation. He has dedicated over a decade of his career to studying and working on interdisciplinary aspects related to these fields, collaborating with private, government, and non-governmental organizations at the sub-national level. 

As a Founding Member and De-facto Director, Vivek has led the Centre for Studies on Environment and Climate at the Asian Development Research Institute, a prominent social sciences research think-tank in Bihar (India). His work in Bihar, particularly on climate mitigation policy formulation and implementation has been supported by philanthropic grants from organizations such as the World Bank, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Tata Cornell Institute, and Oxford Policy Management. Vivek has also led several other projects and teams in this prior professional instant, especially with institutions such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (Government of India), and the Department of Finance (Government of Bihar). Before his involvement in policy research, he had worked with major grassroots organizations like Tata Trust, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India), and Selco Foundation. 

Vivek is a Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellow from India to pursue academic training in Environment and Climate Science and Policy in planning and practice at the regional scale. His dedication to community development and sustainability was also exemplified by his recognition as a State Bank of India Foundation’s Youth For India Fellow. During this fellowship, he implemented a project that positively impacted over 500 households in remote regions of Madhya Pradesh, providing them with access to basic energy sources and farm-based technology. 

Academically, Vivek received training in Development with a specialization in Sustainability from Azim Premji University, Karnataka (India). He also holds a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Ranchi University, Jharkhand (India). He is trained in applied technology design and installation, focused on areas such as robotics, small-scale wind energy turbines, and decentralized solar energy systems. As a Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy student, Vivek aims to gain international exposure and receive comprehensive training in science, policy, and leadership to better address the socioeconomic impacts of climate change. Expertise includes – quantitative and qualitative public policy research, scalable research design and dissemination, institutions and governance, partnership, and negotiations, strategic advisory and advocacy. Post-academic training at UCDS, Vivek envisions continuing his work in policy thinking concerned with climate change mitigation and resource sustainability at the regional scale. He intends to bridge strategic alliances between the international research community and regional practitioners, aiming to strengthen institutions for evidence-based policymaking, planning, and implementation tailored to the specific needs of the region. As a hobby, Vivek is a passionate photographer and story writer, who enjoys traveling to capture the diversity of culture and social interactions.