Get to know the students, faculty, and collaborators who power our community. From academic journeys and career milestones to awards and alumni stories, this is where people and programs shine.
In this Peer Q&A, Environmental Policy Analysis & Planning major Toby Jacob and Marine & Coastal Science major Mikayla Leyson share what surprised them most, what challenged them, and what they gained from studying at the coast. From DNA extractions and fish embryos to tidepools, dorm life, and late-night stargazing, their stories capture both the rigor and the close-knit community that define the BML experience.
Fourth-year UC Davis geology student Sonia Somasundaram was studying in the Cadet Hand Library at the Bodega Marine Laboratory when a fellow student burst through the library’s doors.
For more than a decade, the SRJC–BML Internship Program has connected Santa Rosa Junior College students with hands-on research experiences at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory.
To wear or not to wear these clothing, that was my question everyday as a land steward intern. Most of my internship was spent outdoors doing fieldwork for habitat restoration, specifically invasive plants removal. I worked closely with my mentor Luis, the Bodega Marine Reserve steward, and Cabrilla.
My passion for wildlife, ocean ecosystems, and a love for the beach, led me to an incredible opportunity to bring that curiosity into the field through an internship at UC Davis’s Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML).
Hello, my name is Vanessa Cordova, and this summer, I had the chance to intern at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab through a partnership with Santa Rosa Junior College. I am a first-generation student transferring to UC Berkeley in the fall to study Integrative Biology with an emphasis in Human Biology. I came into this internship not really knowing what to expect. I wasn't sure how it would go or what I'd take away from it.
Hello, my name is Esmeralda Padilla-Garcia, and this summer I had the opportunity to intern at the UC Davis – Bodega Marine Laboratory through my school, Santa Rosa Junior College. I am currently enrolled at SRJC as a Biology major, and I plan to transfer to a university in Fall 2026. My passion lies in Human Biology and medicine, so participating in a marine biology internship was a step outside my comfort zone.
We’re excited to share that Andrea C. Alfaro has been appointed as the new director of the UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI), effective January 1, 2026.
My name is Qing Fields, and I’m an SRJC student dual majoring in Biology and Natural Sciences, with plans to transfer to CSUMB in the fall of 2026 to study Marine Science and Scientific Illustration. I have an enormous passion for marine invertebrate ecology and evolution, and this internship was the perfect fit for me to explore my interests while helping contribute to meaningful research.
Hi, I’m Lucas, a SRJC student who is transferring to UC Davis in the fall of 2025. At Davis, I will be majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. This summer, I had the pleasure of working under Serina Moheed in the Brown lab to further explore my scientific interests.
