In Their Words: Erica Sumner

Erica Sumner is a recipient of the 2016 Keeley Coastal Scholars Award.

What year are you? 4th year

College: Kresge

Where do you call home? I was born in the Ojai Valley where I lived for twenty-eight years but now consider Santa Cruz to be home due to the culture of ocean conservation that exists here and in the Monterey Bay area generally.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz stood out to me due to its environmental studies program. I felt that I would get a rich academic experience and have the chance to study an amazing natural environment if I came here. I feel very fortunate to live and study in the middle of the redwood forest on the edge of a marine sanctuary and I am continuously inspired by the local scientists who devote their life’s work to understanding and conserving the ocean.

What is your field of focus? I study how climate change will impact the California Coast.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? After completing my bachelor’s degree here at UCSC I plan to attend grad school in a marine science program. I am open minded about the future so that I may be receptive to new paths but I can potentially see myself pursuing a career in academia and continuing my research. I am especially interested in helping local communities understand these impacts, prepare for change and advocate for the environment.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? One memorable moment I have as a student is the process of writing a paper on the relationship between carbon dioxide and California’s kelp forests. It was my first scientific research paper and I recall deeply enjoying the process of gathering information from peer-reviewed articles and piecing together a story of the future of how climate change will affect these vibrant ecosystems.

What does this scholarship mean to you? This award not only meets my pressing financial needs but also helps me feel supported in my journey as an aspiring marine scientist. With it I can jointly finance my research on sea level rise as it impacts the Santa Cruz County coastline as well as pursue a creative vision of community involvement where the voices of children can be heard in a powerful, visual way. The opinions of children should carry great weight since they will be impacted the most. I plan to create a community art project in order to spark the interest of a younger generation as well as start conversations with their parents, hopefully reaching people who are curious but confused on the topic or otherwise unreceptive. I believe that making art with children can be an approachable yet powerful way to reach the general public about pressing environmental concerns.