Anne Kapuscinski, Director

Core Faculty
Sustainability Science
Professor, Environmental Studies

Anne R. Kapuscinski is an interdisciplinary scholar committed to finding scientifically and socially robust solutions to a major challenge: how to perpetuate healthy aquatic ecosystems while sustaining resource uses that support human wellbeing. Her past research examined impacts of dams, fish hatcheries, aquaculture and genetic engineering on fish conservation. Her current research aims to shift aquaculture, the world’s fastest growing food sector, towards sustainability. Her team uses marine microalgae to achieve fish-free feeds, thus decouple aquaculture from ocean-caught forage fish, reduce nutrient and carbon emissions and improve food security. She also pursues ecological aquaculture strategies to close water and nutrient loops and conserve biodiversity. Anne participates actively in the science-policy interface, presently as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Union of Concerned Scientists and member of the Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team, and has been a scientific advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (under three administrations), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Global Environment Facility, European Union Food Safety Agency, state of Minnesota, and on four U.S. National Academy of Science committees. She is Editor-in-Chief of the Sustainability Transitions domain of the open-access journal, Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. Her awards include a 2019 Ocean Award in Innovation, Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation, and Distinguished Service Award from the Society for Conservation Biology, among others. As Director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program, Anne guides and builds a diverse, inclusive community of students, faculty and partners to pursue scalable solutions to pressing coastal and ocean challenges.

Watch Anne describe her research here or read more about Anne and her research team at: https://casfs.ucsc.edu/research/agroecological-science/aquaculture.html and https://kapsar.sites.ucsc.edu/.

Sarah Eminhizer

Assistant Director

Sarah Eminhizer is a California native. She is passionate about working with key actors to find innovative solutions to today’s biggest social and environmental problems and improve organizational effectiveness to enhance performance. As part of the CSP program, Sarah has helped launch a new innovative course “Hacking4Oceans,” facilitated the 2019 Climate Conference focused on Climate Justice, launched the CSP seminar series, and enhanced programing for students, faculty, and partners.

Sarah brings a breadth of experience in a range of sectors from her time working as an Associate Program Director for a nonprofit addressing coral reef adaptation potential as well as overseeing their Fiji and Indonesia conservation programs, a Director for Blue Earth Consultants (a management consulting firm focused on white water to blue water issues and innovations), and as an Environmental Planner in American Samoa. Sarah is a Board member of Wild Gift, a non-profit ​that connects and empowers environmental entrepreneurs through immersive wilderness experiences. Sarah holds a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara.

Paul Desalles

Conservation Program Coordinator for DDCSP, CAMINO & CSP Programs

Paul’s early scientific experiences in academia informed his strong interest in ecology and environmental education and engaging broader communities with the novel and exciting research produced in University of California science labs. He brings experience in science outreach and program development from previous roles working at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and as a Project Scientist with the Benioff Ocean Initiative at UC Santa Barbara. Paul is enthusiastic about supporting STEM education and building opportunities for new and diverse voices and experiences in the field of ecology and conservation and hopes to continue to expand on the success of UCSC’s Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, CAMINO, and the Coastal Science and Policy program.

Paul earned his B.S. Biology and M.Sc. Earth Systems at Stanford where he worked in terrestrial and marine community ecology labs. Paul investigated how the spatial ecology of mobile animals influences ecosystem ecology using manta rays as model organisms. This work reflected Paul’s interest in understanding the functional importance of consumers in communities and ecosystems.

Rachel Wang

Blue Pioneers Program Assistant Director