STUDENT-LED COLLOQUIUM: BAREFOOT BIOLOGY

Course Description

Ditch the lecture hall and step into the outdoors! Taught by Elaina Pace and Lakshmi García — two ambitious explorers — this course transforms Santa Barbara into an ecological playground.

Over ten weeks, we'll journey from tide pools to mountaintops, exploring our own fascinations (lichen! nudibranchs! hidden tree nets in Isla Vista!) while diving deep into yours, too. We'll begin by planting a CCS class garden that we'll nurture throughout the quarter, and each Friday we'll venture somewhere new — Lagoon Island, the Goleta Pier, Coal Oil Point, and more — building skills in species identification, habitat restoration, nature journaling, and environmental education. A guest lecturer will even teach us to build our own CCS Tree Net!

You'll get your hands dirty, climb and plant trees, pick up bugs, and learn to read landscapes like stories. Whether you're pressing flowers, tracking shorebirds, or teaching others about your favorite species, you'll gain hands-on experience and watch ecology come to life.

Perfect for students who crave adventure and believe the best learning happens outdoors. No prior biology or hiking experience needed — just bring a journal and a curious spirit. Shoes are optional ;)

(Inspired by Dr. Claudia Tyler's "Walking Biology"!)

This is a student-led colloquium led by Elaina Pace and Lakshmi García under the supervision of Cristine Donham. Any questions can be directed to Elaina and Lakshmi at epace@ucsb.edu and lakshmigarcia@ucsb.edu.