Sarah Kimball, Director
Sarah Kimball is the Director of the Center for Environmental Biology, Director of Research and Partnerships for the Environmental Collaboratory, and an Associate Professor in the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She is a plant evolutionary ecologist who studies land stewardship practices in the context of global change. Her research is conducted in collaboration with community members and students. She works to increase diversity in the field of Ecology by providing safe spaces for all researchers and to promote immersion in the natural world.
Jennifer Long, Education and Outreach Coordinator and Director of MCRS Program
Jennifer Long oversees the CEB Education & Outreach interns. She is the Director of the Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science Program and the Director of Education for the Environmental Collaboratory. She studies science learning in informal environments, including science centers, after-school programs, and educational media. More specifically, her work focuses on the effectiveness of designed environments for helping people learn about the natural world.
Laurel Brigham, Postdoctoral Researcher
Laurel Brigham is a plant community ecologist whose work currently focuses on conservation and restoration in the Sonoran desert, particularly in the context of dwindling water resources. She joined CEB in 2022 after completing her PhD at the University of Colorado, Boulder where she studied the direct and indirect effects of climate change on alpine plant communities.
Nikki Fiore, Postdoctoral Researcher
Nikki Fiore is a landscape ecologist whose work integrates high-resolution remote sensing, ecological field studies, experiments, and geospatial information to understand the dynamics of landscape change. She joined CEB in 2022 after completing her PhD at the University of California, Irvine in Earth System Science.
Haley Heesch, Field Technician
Haley Heesch joined CEB as our field technician. She has a strong background in wildlife camera monitoring and is expanding her expertise in plant ecology research.
Moises Perea-Vega, Field Technician
Moises Perea-Vega joined CEB and UCI-NATURE as our field technician after having served as an excellent CEB intern for over two years. He has extensive experience in field ecology research and restoration.
Marisa Grillo, Field Technician
Marisa Grillo joined CEB as our field technician after having lead a team of rare plant researchers in Riverside. She has extensive experience in plant ecology research.
Thanh Le, Field Technician
Thanh Le joined CEB and UCI-Nature as our field technician after working as a CEB intern for two years. She worked at Crystal Cove State Park and Crystal Cove Conservancy and has extensive experience in environmental education.