Department of Applied Environmental Science
Research Opportunities within the Natural Sciences
Over 15 science labs operate within the natural sciences at CSUMB. Undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students work with their Principal Investigators (P.I.s) in research labs as interns, researchers, and research assistants, contributing to cutting edge research and gaining valuable experience in their field of interest.
Research Groups
CSUMB NASA AMES Lab
Director: Dr. Susan Alexander
Areas of research: ecological and watershed systems with an emphasis on local, regional, and global environmental problems and issues resulting from changing climatic and land-use patterns
Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Program
Director: Dr. Corey Garza
Areas of Research: Coastal resilience, coastal intelligence, place based conservation
The Molecular Ecology Lab
PI: Dr. Eric Crandall
Areas of research: Comparative phylogeography, seascape genetics, marine evolution
The Engagement Lab
PI: Dr. Tori Derr
Areas of Research: Education, participation, and planning for just sustainability
The Fernandez Lab
PI: Dr. Dan Fernandez
Areas of Research: Statewide fog water collection and spatial, temporal, and chemical analysis of it
Marine Landscape Ecology Lab
PI: Dr. Corey Garza
Areas of Research: Marine landscape ecology, intertidal community dynamics, geospatial technology
Genomics and Bioinformatics Lab
PI: Dr. Nathaniel Jue
Areas of Research: Evolutionary and functional genomics, genetics
Image Analysis Lab
PI: Dr. James Lindholm
Areas of Research: Shelf and Slope Ecology; Image-based approaches to data collection; application of science to policy and management
The Logan Lab
PI: Dr. Cheryl Logan
Areas of Research: Marine Environmental, Ecological & Evolutionary Physiology, Climate Change Stress Physiology, Ecological Forecasting, Ocean Climate Change Policy
Plant Pathology Lab
PI: Dr. Timothy Miles
Areas of research: Development of resistant plant cultivars, cultural and chemical management, host biochemical defense mechanisms, pathogen detection
Watershed Geology Lab
PI: Dr. Douglas Smith
Areas of Research: Geology/geomorphology, hydrology, stream restoration
The Watson Lab
PI: Dr. Fred Watson
Areas of Research: Water Quality, Wildlife Ecology, Remote Sensing, Population Dynamics, Landscape Ecology, Ecosystem Visualization
Watershed Environments & Ecology Lab (WEE)
PI: Dr. John Olson
Areas Of Interest: Aquatic Ecology, Remote Sensing, Watershed Sciences