Meet the Grad Students
Christian Ardeleanu
Hello, I graduated in June 2009 from the University of California, Irvine with a major in Earth and Environmental Science and a minor in Global Sustainability. I am currently writing this in Cuzco, Peru, which, including Ecuador, is where I’ve been traveling this summer. Tomorrow I leave for Bolivia, and I’ll be there until I return to California. During my travels I have been trying to grasp the essence of both natural and cultural areas in the grander scheme of how they interrelate. I am interested in how consciousness shapes natural resource use, conservation, and preservation. Since I have solely been within the boundary of the ancient Incan empire, I have been analyzing how the Incan mind set relates to nature, the cosmos, and natural resource production; and furthermore, how this mind set has been passed through to the living descendents of the Incas in a contemporary setting. In this sense, I have found interest in the sustainable farming and housing industries of Peru and Ecuador.
When I’m not traveling I enjoy skiing, hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, reading, playing an instrument, dancing, basically anything, as long as I’m doing it in the mountains. The Sierra Nevada has been my home since I was a little child, but I have been living there for the past year since I graduated from Irvine. I also enjoy the coast, especially that of northern California where the coastal redwoods grow close to the beach. I am particularly fond of marshes as well after working at the San Joaquin Marsh in Orange County during my years as an under grad. Another area I love is the southern California sage scrub community. The smell of California Sagebrush will forever remind me of my childhood.
Lisa Benham
Often self-described as a “radical generalist,” I prefer to see this as a fruitful if meandering symptom of being endlessly curious about how everything relates to everything else. My undergraduate studies were in fine art, music and psychology, so graduate work in environmental studies seemed the perfect interdisciplinary compliment toward understanding our complex world, and what best to do in response. I began this same MS program back in January of 1991, focusing then on solar architecture, before requirements of raising a family and an exciting if accidental career as silicon valley web/graphic design consultant took over for a while. My care for the planetary state of things never waned, and I returned in January 2007, this time concurrently earning a GIS certificate, which seemed the perfect marriage of graphic presentation and broad earth analyses, especially for someone who had been an obsessive map lover for her entire life.
My thesis focuses on climate change communication, and optimizing methods of public engagement into behavioral response, given the grave stakes and looming timeframes at hand. I am researching comparative use of maps and spatial awareness, systems science, and varieties of framing across differing demographics, with particular interest in those more “visceral” or “spiritual” human experiences that potentiate deep and lasting commitment toward pro-environmental behavior.
James D'Albora
James is currently completing his thesis project in sustainable agriculture. He works as an energy analyst for a large energy engineering firm in San Francisco. He is also working on a documentary film about his thesis project which he hopes will share his findings with a wider audience. Like most ENVS students, James loves to hike, camp and backpack and pretty much do anything outdoors. He also loves playing music, acting, producing, and making short films.
I hold a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics. After which, while volunteering for social events and working with the Audubon society, I got interested in environment. I then joined the department at De Anza College to study the environment in detail. I also registered at San Jose State University for the graduate program in environmental studies. I always felt that the environment is fragile and we all need to work together to make it sustainable. I believe in all sustainable activities, which also made me turn completely vegetarian. My hobbies are hiking, spending time doing jigsaw puzzles, and photography. I like nature photography and want to convey a ‘save the environment’ message through photo art. I work as a teaching assistance at De Anza College in the department of Environment Studies and I am happy to volunteer towards any environmental action plan. Currently, my interests include non-conventional energy, applying mathematical modeling to study species ecosystems, specifically peafowl's, and watershed management.
Benoit Delaveau
Benoit, now 43, has dedicated his life to the art of Photography since the age of 14. Practicing his passion, he has worked alternately as a photographer, technologist, professor and journalist in many imaging related areas. As a writer and journalist, he has published 200+ technical articles in French photography and technology related magazines. He has established a strong reputation as perfecting the usage of new digital imaging technologies to enhance photographic quality and realism.
As a returning student in the U.S, Benoit graduated in 2008 from U.C Berkeley with a double degree in Mass Communication and Sociology and a minor from the famous U.C Berkeley Energy and Resources department (ERG). On top of his artistic activity as landscape photographer, Benoit's main focus has been green energy technologies and policies since 2006. As graduate student at San Jose State University, Benoit's current research is focused on the environmental impacts of the photo processing industry in the Bay Area, near San Francisco, California.
Jonathon Fata
I completed my B.S in Environmental Studies with a minor in Sustainability Studies from the University of Florida. My area of research interest is new sustainability energy technologies as well as corporate sustainability. My hobbies are fishing, SCUBA diving, backpacking, camping and exercising. Although I don’t get to do it as much, I love sailing and was captain of the sailing team in high school. I have a 2 year old lab mix that I brought with me from Florida.
David Grant (EnvS/Anthro)
Background/Experience: BA from University of Michigan, numerous courses in Archaeology and Anthropology at SJSU and elsewhere. I hold three professional licenses in Securities and have been a professional insurance broker for 20+ years.
Goals: Short term goals are to pursue an M.S. in Environmental Sciences with a project in Archaeology.
Environmental Studies: no experience with Environmental Studies.
Interests: Numerous collecting interests, including Safety Razors, Golden Age Comics and Vienna Art Plate
Megan Gunvalson
I moved to California from my native Minnesota in 2002 to pursue a degree in marine biology. In 2007 I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.S. in marine biology and a minor in politics. After spending a year and a half working for a biotechnology company, I decided to continue with my education and entered the environmental studies M.S. program here at SJSU. My background experience includes work as a deckhand/naturalist for a whale watching company, work as a marine policy intern for the Ocean Conservancy, volunteer work assisting with NOAA’s annual juvenile rockfish survey, and my current position at a local water district assisting with their invasive mussel prevention and planning program. My broader interests include how humans affect ecosystems and identifying ways to implement conservation actions. My thesis project relates to the work of a kayaker naturalist program in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary whose goal is to reduce disturbances to marine mammals by kayakers. I am working to identify if there are fewer disturbances when the naturalists are on the water as well as to characterize disturbances in order to provide information for management to make decisions that may improve the program.
Gizelle Hurtado
I grew up right here in San Jose. I have always been intrigued by the natural world. After attending San Jose City College, I transferred to Humboldt State University where I obtained a degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation. Here at San Jose State in the Masters of Science Environmental Studies program, I am focusing on oak habitat management. My masters project is being conducted for the US Forest Service in the Mt. Shasta, CA area. I am evaluating the effects of timber management practices on oaks. I am particularly interested in knowing if conifer timber harvests can be used as an effective oak restoration technique. I am interested in oaks and oak habitats since oaks are an extremely important wildlife habitat. Ultimately, this project will help inform wildlife biologists, botanist and forest managers about oak management and restoration in the Mt. Shasta area.
Papia Kowshal
Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money. ~Cree Indian Proverb
Originally from New Delhi, India, I am pursuing my second master’s degree (Environmental Studies) at the San Jose State University. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Botany. The serious issues of climate change and e-waste caught my attention and it was then when I decided to pursue a career in environment. I obtained Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Delhi. After my degree completion, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with the Delhi Government in their Environment Division. For my thesis at SJSU, I am studying the effectiveness of the CEQA review process in analyzing the greenhouse gas emissions from developmental projects. I also have immense interest in the application of Geographical Information Systems to address the issues and barriers related to renewable energy.
Having travelled most parts of the Indian subcontinent, Europe and North America, I strongly believe that we are lucky to be blessed with such a beautiful planet and it is our responsibility to protect it.
Matt Lambert
I was born in San Jose and spent many summers camping in northern California and Yellowstone. I studied at UC Santa Barbara and earned my B.S. in Environmental Studies in 2006. Since then, I moved back to San Jose and have worked as an environmental consultant focusing on geological investigations and environmental remediation.
Last year I worked with the Sustainability team on campus on the ecological footprint challenge and the sustainability matters lecture series. I'm currently working as an intern at the SCVWD in the Stream Stewardship Division. For my thesis project I am working with Katherine Cushing and the President's Office on the Ecological Footprint Challenge.
Zuhayl Lambert
I received a B.A. from UCSB in Cultural Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology. I’m a Consulting Utility Forester for PG&E. I have worked for Our City Forest through AmeriCorps. I love Trees. I’m pursuing an MS in Environmental Studies doing research in
the understory of the Redwood forest. I want to further develop my knowledge
of the complex ecosystems that thrive in the understory of our California forests and how humans benefit from them. Hopefully that knowledge will be used to protect endangered species and wild lands. Paul Watson once said, “You don’t have to save the world, but if you save one specie, you will be saving everything that co-exists and depends on that specie”. I hope to do that one day.
Anna Le
I have a BA in Philosophy and BS in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University. My area of research interest is Activism ("What has been the history and impact of modern era of redwood forest" or "What factors contribute to community involvement in environmental action? A study between SJSU and the City of San Jose"
I love hiking, camping, swimming, volunteering, hanging out with friends, food! Playing guitar, going to concerts! Playing video games, traveling! I love working with students and eventually, I would like to get my Ph.D. and become a professor. My Chinese version name, "Onna", also means woman.
Diana Martinez
I graduated in 2008 from San Jose State University with my undergrad degree in Environmental Studies. My area of interest is education and I want to do my research or project for my graduate program in the area of environmental education. I have worked for three years at De Anza Community College as a part-time instructor and a full-time lead lab technician where I oversee the environmental biology labs. I am also responsible for our 1.5 acre outdoor lab that has twelve California plant communities within it and over 400 species of native plants. I love animals and have several including four Dachshunds, quails, lovebirds, parakeets, snakes, lizards and six chickens. My favorite time of the year is Fall. I just love this time of year because everything is changing colors, the leaves are falling, the temperatures are cooling and the best holidays are in this season: Halloween and Thanksgiving! I enjoy hiking and bike riding during the Fall season because I can watch all of the changes in nature going on around me. I am very excited about entering my graduate program at San Jose State University and look forward to meeting my fellow graduate students in the Fall.
Jessica Murphey
I am a recent graduate from San Jose State University with a Bachelors of Science in Hospitality Management. I currently work for Spartan Catering on the San Jose State campus as the Catering Sales Assistant for the company. While I come from a hospitality background, I have a strong interest in Environmental Studies ever since taking an environmental studies course in high school. I fell in love with determining how water quality conditions were affected by human actions. This love led me to pursue my Masters in Environmental Studies with my research interest pertaining to human actions and their effects on water quality and aquatic invertebrates. When I'm not working or enjoying learning about little aquatic critters, I enjoy hiking, doing photography, acrylic landscape painting, reading, and enjoying time with my closest friends. One of my little quirks is my ability to spell words or repeat phrases backwards...you can always test me and ask me to say the alphabet backwards! :)
Emily Musgrave
My name is Emily Musgrave and I grew up in Chico California and moved to Santa Cruz in 2004 to attend UCSC and I have been here ever since. I graduated from UCSC in 2008 with a BA in Environmental Studies and a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies. I have always been passionate about the environment and I love to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature. I love exercising as I find it stimulating and relaxing and it keeps me sane! I love running, especially outside along the bluffs in Santa Cruz overlooking the ocean! I was raised playing lots of sports, but my favorite is basketball which I have been playing since I was about four years old! I’m an animal lover to the core and I especially love the ocean, which is why I love living in Santa Cruz! I’m very interested in tropical rainforests and climate change and I plan on traveling to the Amazon someday soon! I love to learn about new cultures and I’m especially interested in traveling to Latin America as I am fascinated with the culture and I love to speak Spanish every chance I get. I work as a waitress at a Mexican restaurant in Santa Cruz and it’s great because I can speak Spanish all the time and eat yummy Mexican food! I would like to connect the research that I do to my cultural interests as well as environmental justice issues which I am also very passionate about. I have spent some time In Argentina and I would love to go back and travel throughout Argentina as well as other parts of Central and South America. I’m outgoing and energetic and my hope is that the masters program at San Jose State will help me grow and mature as a person as well as guide me to my path for a fulfilling career in which I can put my passion for the environment to good use.
Chandana Rao
The spirit of wanderlust in me provided the impetus for me to pursue a Bachelors degree in Tourism and Travel Management. I was able to appreciate the different facets of tourism during my travels in India during my Bachelors degree. At age 18, I journeyed with two friends on a backpacking trip to Nepal. Traveling in the most frugal way possible and staying at houses of friends and trying to mingle with the locals, this trip was an eye-opener; right from 3-day journeys on reluctant trains to being awed by the unique cultures of the places I visited. This trip acted as a trigger for me to consider a holistic view of tourism in my future studies. I have also traveled extensively in India, from the naturally pristine wilderness regions of northeast India to the remote Andaman Islands. Subsequent to my Bachelors degree, I pursued a Masters degree in Tourism Administration. Here, I began to observe the interplay of tourism development and the environment. I surveyed two massive tourism projects to be launched in ecologically fragile regions of the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. I analyzed the history of the controversy, the current situations and the locations involved, the financial scale of the eco- projects and the repercussions along with the benefits. Trying to avoid a typical job, I worked as a lecturer at two colleges in Bangalore, India. I taught students at the graduate and undergraduate level. In my spare time, I worked with school children, where I handled general knowledge sessions and coached them for school quizzes. Though I did work that I enjoyed, I felt it was time to do more of something else. Thus, I decided to try a Masters in Environmental Studies. I have, for some time now, wanted to procure a strong foundation in Environmental Studies to aid me in my studies to find a balance between tourism development and environment protection. I believe that this is an opportunity for me to link the two fields and connect with primordial nature. Research in this field needs to be beneficial to the industry at the micro level and to the society at the macro level. A final Masters’ thesis can be made far more effective with hands on experience in the field. My goal is to positively influence travelers to practice the “Leave No Trace” principles, which explains as “, Take only photographs, leave only footprints”.
Jeffrey Sinclair
I received a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Environmental Studies with a Minor in Urban and Regional Planning in 2008 from San Jose State University. During the program and for some time after I worked as an intern at the Santa Clara Valley Water District where I did research for the South Bay Salt Pond Project and San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study. Recently, I started a new internship with the Water District doing data collection in the lakes and reservoirs of the South Bay. I will be starting the Environmental Studies Graduate Program this coming 2010 semester. My focus will be on policy analysis related to Climate Change, which is an interest of mine. My interests outside of school include playing music and spending time with friends.