Faculty

Our faculty have spoken at TED, appeared on Shark Week, and are recognized as leaders in their fields. But what matters most is what they're discovering—and that you'll learn from them directly. At a big university, professors like these lecture to hundreds of students. Here, you'll work beside them.

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Faculty Directory

Adeyemi Adebiyi Assistant Professor Studies how mineral dust and smoke aerosols shape air quality and climate. Teaches atmospheric science.	Jackie Atim Adjunct Extension Specialist UC ANR specialist studying crop responses to abiotic stress. Offers research internship opportunities at the Kearney Field Station.
J. Michael Beman Associate Professor Studies the microbes in oceans and lakes that control our planet's chemistry. Teaches environmental microbiology.	Gordon Bennett Professor Uncovers how insects and their symbiotic microbes co-evolve. Teaches ecology.
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe Professor Studies how soil stores carbon and regulates climate. Teaches soil science and biogeochemistry. Watch TED Talks →	Srabani Das Extension Specialist, Regenerative Agriculture UC ANR specialist. Offers research internship opportunities in her lab and field experiments.
Michael N. Dawson Professor Tracks evolution in real time in Palau's famous Jellyfish Lake. Teaches marine science.	Melinda Findlater Assistant Teaching Professor Teaching professor covering biology courses, including conservation biology.
A. Carolin Frank Associate Professor Studies the hidden microbiomes of forest trees and plants—how bacteria and fungi help hosts survive drought.	Marilia P. Gaiarsa Assistant Professor Studies species interactions and biodiversity using network theory. Led UC Merced's Bee Campus USA certification.
Joshua Garcia Assistant Professor Studies sustainable agriculture by exploring microbial influences on crops, improving soil health, and developing strategies to support soil biodiversity and farming sustainability. Teaches ecological microbiology.	Teamrat Ghezzehei Professor Studies the physics of living soils—how water moves and roots grow. Teaches hydrology.
Lauren Hale Associate Cooperative Extension Specialist in Organic Production & Faculty Director for UC Organic Agriculture Institute Offers research internship opportunities in her lab and field experiments.	Matt Hutchinson Assistant Professor Studies how large herbivores shape ecosystems. Teaches ecology.
Sora Kim Associate Professor Reads ancient shark teeth to understand how climate shaped ocean life. Teaches isotope ecology. Watch TED Talk →	Claire Lukens Assistant Professor Studies how climate and tectonics shape mountain landscapes. Teaches geology.
Sylvain Masclin Assistant Teaching Professor Teaching professor known for student-centered courses in environmental systems and sustainability.	Emily Jane McTavish Associate Professor Develops computational tools for large-scale evolutionary inference. Teaches evolution.
Emily Moran Associate Professor Studies how ecological processes shape plant responses to environmental change. Teaches flora of California.	Peggy O'Day Professor Develops ways to remove contaminants from California's drinking water. Teaches environmental chemistry.
Jennifer Pett-Ridge Adjunct Professor Based at LLNL. Studies soil microbiomes and carbon persistence. Research internship opportunities available.	Rebecca Ryals Associate Professor, Program Chair Works with ranchers and farmers, turning agricultural waste into climate solutions. Teaches agroecology.
Jason Sexton Associate Professor Studies plant adaptation across deserts and mountains to develop conservation solutions.	Susannah Tringe Adjunct Associate Professor Environmental genomics expert focused on microbial communities in wetlands and soil.
Tanja Woyke Adjunct Professor Microbial genomics lead specializing in single-cell sequencing and "unculturable" microbes.	Justin Yeakel Associate Professor Uses math to understand why ecosystems survive—or collapse. Teaches ecology.
Xuan Zhang Associate Professor Studies atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, and their links to climate and human health.