Towards the end of May, our UC Davis Environmental Policy and Management policy clinic group, in collaboration with California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigation (CalCOFI) and California Sea Grant, traveled to San Diego, CA. We headed to the 2026 CalCOFI Conference on ‘A Decade of Remarkable Change: Heatwaves, HABs, Hypoxia, and Other Ocean Changes off the California Coast.’ This trip allowed us to share the culmination of our research on practical recommendations for marine climate resilience and refugia in California. We heard and discussed the intense impacts of climate change on California’s marine ecosystems, showcasing the need for policy and management action. We engaged with researchers working towards goals aligned with our recommendations, further inspiring us to continue protecting California’s waters.
In April 2026, we - a group of UC Davis students from the Environmental Policy and Management (EPM) Graduate Group, in partnership with American Rivers, headed to Washington, D.C.. This trip was the culmination of six months of research, with the intention to share our findings with congressional staff during “Water Week” - a week dedicated to water policy advocacy in D.C.
During Winter Quarter, 2026, a group of current Environmental Policy & Management students and alumni had the opportunity to teach ENV 290: Environmental Ethics & Action at UC Davis. Designed as a seminar-style course, ENV 290 created space for students to slow down and engage deeply with complex environmental questions, while thinking critically about the values that shape their work.
The EPM Social Committee hosted its annual spring celebration, Legacy Night. This year’s theme was inspired by coastal California, with the ever-changing but persevering ocean reflecting the strengths of our very own students!
EcoFarm is one of the oldest and largest gatherings of organic farmers and food policy advocates in the U.S. The 46th EcoFarm Conference was a sanctuary that paid reverence to the lands we steward, the seeds we sow, and the communities we shepherd. This years’ theme - Seeds of Strength: Empowering Farmers for a Changing Climate - was a space to imagine new landscapes of cooperation and reimagine wounded systems. Carlton Turner’s opening plenary speech traced the evolving relationship between food, place, memory, and community.
Fall quarter has been off to a busy start! The Graduate Program of Environmental Policy and Management (EPM) works in collaboration with three student committees to host a range of events to cultivate community, foster meaningful connections and help new students as they transition to UC Davis.
“Where does your water come from?” is a question I’ve been asking a lot this summer.
We interact with water every day, but we are often geographically isolated from where our water comes from, the environmental and economic costs of delivering it, and the legal and physical infrastructure that ensures water security, sustainable use, and resilience. Water education is one of the most important tools we have to fill in the gap, and because water systems are so complex and tied to place, experiential learning is a crucial part of water education because it allows us to see how systems actually work versus how the rules say they should work.
The Environmental Policy and Management Social Committee hosted its annual spring celebration, Legacy Night. Previously, known as EProM, this end of year event evolved into something much more than a “prom”. The new name reflects a broader purpose of bringing together EPM students, faculty, alumni and friends to celebrate both accomplishments and the enduring legacy of the program.
Julia is a first-year EPM student specializing in Marine Resource Management and working as a graduate student researcher (GSR) in the Ocean Climate Lab and Gaylord Lab.
In an Environmental Policy and Management course, students participated in a hands-on water governance simulation that transformed classroom learning into a dynamic policy negotiation exercise. The simulation challenged students to address complex municipal water infrastructure decisions by role-playing various local government actors, developing critical skills in collaborative problem-solving and multi-stakeholder decision-making.
Nothing says autumn in Northern California like a quick trip to Apple Hill! This past weekend, EPM graduate students took a break from their schoolwork to embrace the fall season. With students from both first and second-year cohorts, it was the perfect way to take a breather from Week 7 and enjoy some seasonal fun together.
Former EPM student Carolyn Subramaniam developed a policy brief recommending folic acid fortification of corn masa flour, a staple grain for many Central and Latin American Communities. Over a year later in September 2024, her concept was signed into law.
