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PI - Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela

Dr. Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research focuses on the ecology and conservation of ecosystems and species with a strong focus on tropical birds. She works at different spatial scales including global to local issues and in natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes. She is a Colombian native, an avid birdwatcher, and a mother of two children.

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She is the leader and principal investigator of the Conservation Ecology Lab (CEL) and mentors PhD students in the Environmental Studies graduate program and undergraduate interns from across UCSC majors.

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At UCSC, she teaches ENVS 120-Conservation Biology. 

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Email: nocampop@ucsc.edu

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Phd Students

Mushtaaq Ali 

I am a first year PhD student that is broadly interested in landscape ecology, remote sensing, and GIS. The research questions I would like most to answer concern the development and limitations of remote sensing datasets and spatial models used to make conservation and restoration decisions, particularly in forest ecosystems. Before starting my PhD, I spent four years working on the GIS and Data Science team at the conservation nonprofit American Forests, focusing on increasing urban tree equity and restoring thornforest in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Email: mali19@ucsc.edu

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Julián Llano
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​I’m a biologist and a PhD student in Environmental Studies, with a particular interest in highlighting the role of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in biodiversity conservation, particularly in Colombia. Over the past ten years, I have studied bird communities in Colombia and contributed to the development of tangible biodiversity conservation projects across various regions of the country. To the Conservation Ecology Lab, I bring a tropical ecology perspective, along with a growing understanding of the conservation challenges and opportunities associated with community-based efforts led by local populations. In terms of technical skills, I also bring experience in quantitative ecology, geospatial analysis, and coding.

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Email: jllano@ucsc.edu

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Ezra Garfield

I am a 2nd year PhD student in the Conservation Ecology Lab, where my research interests include biodiversity conservation, avian ecology, and sustainable economic development. Before starting my PhD, I graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in Environmental Conservation and Economics, and spent several years in the healthcare technology industry. My current projects focus on the economic and conservation impacts of birdwatching ecotourism in South America, and the effects of land use change on bird communities in California. Through my research I hope to contribute to the development of science-based conservation interventions that work to preserve biodiversity and benefit local communities.

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Email: ecgarfield@ucsc.edu​

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Postdocs

We currently don't have any postdocs. Check out the Opportunities if you have/want to apply for funding to work with us!
Countless Birds

Alumni and past members

Postdocs​​

  • Monte Neate-Clegg (2024-2026, currently Asst. Prof. at UC Davis)

  • Blessing Kavhu (2023-2025, currently Senior Research Scientist at the National Land Survey of Finland )

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PhD students (directly advised, and co-advised/on committee)

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  • Luis Rouzaud (PhD committee)

  • Mike Kowalski (PhD committee)

  • Charlie Chesney (PhD committee, 2025)​

  • Brook Constantz (PhD committee, 2025)

  • Kat Bernier (PhD committee, 2025)

  • Whitney Hansen (PhD committee, 2024)

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Visiting scholars​​

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Undergraduates​ (senior thesis (honors*) or internship and/or research in the lab)​

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  • Valeria Cuevas (2025)

  • Karla Vaca* (2025)

  • Lily Ryan (2025)

  • Marisa Wallace* (2025)

  • Bailey Keffler-Roa (2025)

  • Kai Ando (2025)

  • Rudy Paddock* (2025)

  • Albert Chung* (2025)

  • Dean Meiman (2024)

  • Lauren Clor (2024)

  • Natalie Valett* (Computer Science) (2024)

  • Andrew Nham (2024)

  • June Yost (2023)

  • Sarah Needles* (2023)

  • Sam Eberhard* (2023)

  • Anna Douglas* (2023)

  • Dmitrius Rodriguez (2022)

  • Kyle Kusa* (2022)

  • Grace Brieger* (2022)

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