News
Yen-Chu Weng
Autumn 2026-27 Admissions: As an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Program on the Environment, Dr. Weng does not ordinarily admit graduate students. Dr. Weng is not accepting students for graduate admissions.
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Benjamin Dittbrenner
Benjamin Dittbrenner is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington. His teaching and research focus on forest, riparian, and wetland ecosystems, with particular interest in how climate change and land use shape ecological processes and management strategies.
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Julie Larson
Restoration ecology; Management of dryland and rangeland ecosystems; Plant regeneration ecology, including seed and seedling development; Functional (trait-based) ecology; Plant population and community dynamics
Dr. Larson’s research addresses major challenges in ecological restoration through the lens of plant ecology and functioning.
Mutian Hua
Dr. Mutian Hua received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His research focuses on understanding the connections between the structures of soft materials and their novel properties.
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Gaj Sivandran
As a member of the Center for Quantitative Science, Dr. Sivandran is engaged in pedagogical research focused on active learning strategies. His work explores innovative teaching methods that enhance student engagement, foster collaborative learning, and promote critical thinking.
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Claire Willing
Dr. Claire Willing (she/her) is an ecologist with a particular interest in microbial ecology, plant ecology, and plant physiological ecology. Her research uses molecular tools, ecological theory, and techniques in plant physiological ecology and stable isotope ecology to better understand patterns of plant-associated microbial diversity and functional consequences for plant hosts and plant communities in a changing climate.
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Francisca Santana
Dr. Francisca (“Kika”) Santana studies the social and psychological processes underpinning conservation and adaptation behavior. Her research investigates topics such as the social nature of wildfire smoke adaptation decisions in the U.S.
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Sameer Shah
Dr. Sameer Shah (he/him) is a John C. Garcia Professor and Assistant Professor of Climate Adaptation in the School of Environmental & Forest Sciences (SEFS) at the University of Washington. He is also an Affiliate with the UW Center for Studies in Demography in Ecology, Center for Environmental Politics, and Clean Energy Institute.
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