Celeste Han

Celeste Han is a Master's student a UC Davis with a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia (UBC), where she had an area of concentration in Land, Air, and Water. Her undergraduate academic background provided a strong scientific foundation, equipping her with both quantitative and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental problem-solving. During her undergraduate studies, Celeste worked as an intern for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Within the Crop Breeding and Diversification department, she contributed to laboratory and field research focused on developing quantitative phenotyping methods for Brassica napus. She also led a project using FLIR Tools to annotate hundreds of thermal images of canola field trial plots, producing an analytical report of the results. In addition, she worked with the AAFC Honeybee Microbiome/Bioinformatics Team, conducting literature reviews and research examining differences in pollination efficiency between wild and managed bee species. These experiences strengthened her analytical skills and science communication skills while providing her hands-on experience in the workplace. 

 

Celeste is completing a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management at the University of California, Davis, where she is further developing expertise in environmental policy analysis, planning, and interdisciplinary approaches to climate challenges. During her second year, she worked with the California Coastal Commission, contributing to statewide efforts to develop objective standards for Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) to strengthen coastal resource protections while streamlining review for qualifying housing projects. This work involved researching coastal policies, identifying implementation challenges, and facilitate discussion to high-level staff including, district managers, supervisors, and CEAs to develop strategies to make policies in LCPs more objective. Additionally, as part of EPM's policy clinic, Celeste worked with client organization Ocean Conservancy to analyze the implementation and outcomes of state and federal microplastics study bills across the United States. Her work examined how legislative directives translated into agency action, monitoring programs, and regulatory development, contributing a to broader analysis of the effectiveness of study bills to addressing microplastics. Combining scientific research experience with environmental policy and planning expertise, Celeste is interested in pursuing work at the intersection of climate policy, environmental planning, conservation, and sustainability. She aspires to one day work internationally on climate policies to address climate change for an equitable and sustainable future.