Department of Applied Environmental Science
AES Lecturer Reflects on CSUMB Journey
Erin Stanfield joined the CSUMB community in 2006 and is a valued lecturer in the AES Department. She is also an alumna of the Coastal Watershed Science & Policy (now known as Environmental Science, MS) program. She has taught various classes throughout the AES and BIOC departments. Erin was also selected as the 2024 Davis, Froshman, and Shockley Faculty Fellow! She received this prestigious honor for her teaching and research.
We reached out to Erin to learn more about what led her to CSUMB and her career. Check out her interview below!
What led you to CSUMB?
What led me to CSUMB is an interesting story. Back in 2005, I was living in Santa Cruz working at a college of Chinese Medicine as the manager of the teaching clinic. I graduated from UCSC in 2001 with a BA in Political Philosophy. While I had always intended on majoring in the natural sciences, I ended up with a degree in humanities/social sciences because there were so many new ideas to explore in the humanities and social sciences that I had never been exposed to. After graduating, I wasn’t sure about what professional direction to move into and I took the job at the acupuncture college and spent several years really learning a lot about the structure and function of an organization with diverse and multi language faculty. I also started taking classes at the local community college and thinking what my next step would be. In the summer of 2005, I was backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains and it suddenly hit me. I wanted to really understand the patterns for all the natural history of everything I was looking at: Why were the mountains shaped that way? Why did these plants live here? What dictated where that river would flow? Why was it spring-time on the top of the mountain, but summer in the foothills?
As soon as I returned home, I researched local universities and found the Earth Systems Science & Policy (now known as Environmental Science Technology & Policy) program at CSUMB (just 40 minutes down Highway 1 in Marina). I applied and enrolled in science classes for the Spring 2006 semester as a post baccalaureate student. After a few semesters,I also began working as an undergraduate research assistant and as a chemistry and biology tutor. After completing all the lower division science prerequisite classes, I enrolled in the CSUMB Coastal Watershed Science & Policy MS program under Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan and Dr. Marc Loshuertos. I spent several years on my thesis exploring the environmental and molecular factors driving the prevalence and diversity of toxic cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in Pinto Lake (Watsonville, CA.) After successfully defending my thesis, I started teaching lower division science classes at CSUMB and helping coordinate STEM support at the CSUMB Cooperative Learning Center.
What is your favorite part of being a lecturer?
My favorite part of being a lecturer is sharing my excitement and curiosity for the natural world with my students while helping them develop their own interests and abilities for learning, critical thinking, and problem solving. I also have enjoyed learning about how people learn and collaborating with my colleagues to develop meaningful and long-lasting educational experiences for our students. It’s also just a lot of fun to share really cool science with people on a regular basis.
What are the courses that you've taught/are currently teaching?
I have taught CHEM 109, 110, and 111, BIO 210, 211, & 340, and ENVS 201 labs and discussion classes, as well as BIO240, BIO 211, ENVS 201, and ENVS 300 lecture classes. I’m currently teaching BIO211, BIO211L, ENVS 340L, and ENVS 300.
What is your educational/professional background?
I have an Honors BA in Political Philosophy and a minor in Legal Studies from UCSC. My MS degree is in Coastal Watershed Science & Policy (from CSUMB) and was focused on understanding the ecology and molecular biology of toxic cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms.
What hobbies do you like to participate in during your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy running (training for a half marathon), hiking, traveling, visiting museums, and learning languages.
What has been your greatest professional accomplishment thus far?
I have had a couple professional accomplishments that turned out pretty great:
- In 2015 and 2019, Dr. Katherine Nelson and I collaborated on creating a series of fun and effective introduction to chemistry lab videos through CSUMB’s Innovation in Teaching & Learning grants
- In 2021, Dr. Suzy Worcester, Dr. Corin Slown and I published a research article about our efforts implementing and evaluating a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that helped improve equity in biology education
- In 2024 I contributed a chapter to a book co-authored by diverse CSUMB faculty focused on best practices for increasing active learning and critical thinking reading in undergraduate education
Thank you for all that you do for our students, Erin! And congratulations on being named the 2024 Davis, Froshman, and Shockley Faculty Fellow!