Professor Grace C. WuAssistant Professor, Environmental Studies
University of California Santa Barbara Faculty Affiliate in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management Faculty member in the UCSB 2035 Initiative Grace Wu (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at UC Santa Barbara, which is situated on the unceded lands and waters of the Indigenous Chumash people. Before joining UCSB, Dr. Wu was a Smith Conservation Fellow at The Nature Conservancy and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. She was also a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis. She was trained in systems thinking and interdisciplinary approaches in the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Wu conducts research and policy engagement on spatial planning for climate action on land. Broadly, she is interested advancing our ability to plan for sustainable, multi-use landscapes that protect biodiversity and advance climate goals. She uses spatial science approaches to identify and understand the co-benefits and trade-offs between climate solutions and habitat conservation. Her current main research areas are (1) sustainable spatial planning of low carbon energy systems; and (2) designing policy, management, and technology pathways to sustainable land systems. Ph.D., Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley M.S.., Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley M.Phil., Zoology, University of Cambridge B.A., Biology, Pomona College |
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Yohan Min, PhDPostdoctoral Scholar
2035 Initiative, Institute for Energy Efficiency Project(s): Designing equitable and resilient grids for disadvantaged communities in California Website |
William Lien, MLAPhD student
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management William is a first year PhD student with research interests in agrivoltaics and climate change, colocation/dual-use, integrated resource planning, and capacity expansion modeling. William holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from University of Oregon. |
Mary Salami, MSPhD student
Geography Department Co-advised with David Lopez-Carr Mary is a fourth-year Ph.D. student whose research focuses on developing computational algorithms for sustainable development. Her work lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence and socio-environmental systems, with a particular emphasis on evaluating the efficiency and adaptability of generative AI models in various climate action scenarios. Before her Ph.D. program, Mary earned an M.A. in Geography from the UCSB. |
Lanbing Tao, MSPhD student
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management Co-advised with Matto Mildenberger Lanbing is a first-year Ph.D. student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on renewable energy permitting, community engagement, and energy justice. |
Fernanda Vasquez SanchezResearch Assistant
Undergraduate student, Environmental Studies Program Project(s)/interests: Biomass land use requirements, wind and solar siting, energy modeling, Power Plant Data Task (CET Lab) |
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Lab alums
Riley Tinianov, MSGraduate Student Researcher
Mechanical Engineering Masters student Project(s): Optimal design of crop-based agrivoltaics in Washington state 2024-2025 |
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Henry StreckerResearch Assistant
Masters of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) student Project(s): Factors driving wind and solar siting outcomes in the U.S. 2023-2024 |
Nikhil MelkoteUndergraduate researcher
Department of Probability and Statistics Project(s): Understanding the sustainability of historic solar PV buildout in the Central Valley, California 2023-2024 |
Daniela RoblesResearch Assistant
Env Studies undergraduate Project(s): Modeling federal GHG emission from climate smart agricultural practices 2023-2024 |
Sidney GathridResearcher/Collaborator
UCSB Environmental Studies graduate Project(s): Barriers and synergies in the phaseout of coal in the U.S. 2021-2024 |
Shunsuke YamadaResearch Assistant
Env Studies graduate Project(s): Modeling federal GHG emission from climate smart agricultural practices 2023-2025 |
Alessandra Vidal Meza, MSResearch Assistant
Bren Master of Environmental Data Science (MEDS) graduate Project(s): Retrofitting wind farms with solar PV in the US |
