MS ‘25, Dual specializations: Behavior, Education and Communication/Ecosystem Science and Management - Conservation Ecology

Amaya is a first-year master’s student at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), pursuing a MS in Environment and Sustainability. She graduated with honors from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2022 with a BS in Environmental Science and a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Before matriculating at U-M, Amaya served as the Education and Outreach Manager at a watershed restoration nonprofit in Oakland, CA. She also worked with the U.S. Forest Service and Environment for the Americas as a Resource Assistant in the National Partnership Office, where she coordinated partnership efforts on a national level within the agency. 

Amaya has broad experience with community engagement, public-facing education, and strategizing actionable programs alongside community actors. Her general research interests lie at the intersection of environmental science, communication, and behavioral studies. She seeks to understand how the perception of climate-related issues and consequent solution-building is influenced by direct, sustained, and empathetic engagement with communities.