UC DAVIS ENVIRONMENTORS

Empowering Aggies to Lead, Mentor, and Transform Lives Through Science
The UC Davis Chapter of the National EnvironMentors Program
Grey Monroe & Erwan Monier, Co-Directors
Alice Pierce, Program Coordinator
UC Davis College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Part of the GCSE National EnvironMentors Network • 2,500+ Alumni Since 1992
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The Opportunity

UC Davis is #1 in research and education. We can be #1 in impact in our community, California, and the world.

UC Davis EnvironMentors, the UC Davis chapter of the national EnvironMentors program, puts Aggies at the center of that mission. UC Davis graduate and undergraduate students become research mentors to high school students from underserved communities. They don't just leave Davis with an education. They leave with leadership experience, teaching skills, and the knowledge that they transformed a young person's life through science.

It is one of the most meaningful things a UC Davis student can do while on campus.

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The Story

Last year, UC Davis mentors brought a high school student to our Arboretum and changed her life.

UC Davis student mentors Connor Tumelty, Dario Falcone, and Daniela Quiroz took Marissa Bautista, a high school student from Woodland who had never worked in a research lab, into their world.

They taught her to use a DeNovix cell drop counter, a research instrument that uses photosynthetic fluorescence to detect individual algal cells in water. Together, they walked to the UC Davis Arboretum waterway, collected samples from three sites, and asked: what controls the algae in our water?

Algae bloom: the problem worth studying
The Arboretum at its best
2025 GCSE International Science Fair, Chicago
The Discovery

What she found matters to everyone who loves this campus.

Over four weeks, Marissa measured algal population size, cell diameter, and species composition. She discovered that algal density was driven by rainfall and water flow, with stagnant sites showing dramatically higher concentrations after storms.

She presented this research at the UC Davis Science Fair, then traveled to the GCSE International Science Fair in Chicago, where she won a significant scholarship.

Her poster: "Assessing changes in algal population size and composition in the UC Davis Arboretum waterway"

The Bigger Picture

And Marissa is just getting started.

Last year, Anna Sophia Callens worked with UC Davis mentors to study how water availability affects tomato plant growth, research directly relevant to California's $2 billion tomato industry. This year, Anna is researching clean waterways, Marissa is studying how urban environments shape bird populations, and six other students are investigating everything from water quality to agriculture and ecosystems.

Each project is guided by UC Davis student mentors from labs across campus. Since 2009, more than 140 high school students have conducted original environmental research through UC Davis EnvironMentors, mentored by 150+ Aggies.

Johana Ramirez-Zapien was an EnvironMentors mentee. Today, she is the Outreach Director at UC Davis EAOP, a mentee turned leader. The program doesn't just change lives in the moment. It creates the next generation of mentors.

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For Aggies, By Aggies

This program transforms UC Davis students.

UC Davis EnvironMentors empowers Aggies to become leaders in research, education, and community outreach. Mentors from Plant Sciences, Ecology, Soil Science, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Policy, Horticulture, and more gain real experience guiding scientific inquiry, teaching the next generation, and making an impact that goes beyond the classroom.

It puts UC Davis students in the position they deserve: as leaders making a difference in the world through science in agriculture and environmental sciences, putting UC Davis at the heart of our community.

"I joined EnvironMentors to bring my background in agricultural and soil science into a mentoring environment where students can see how the chemistry and biology concepts they learn in class translate into meaningful research."
Maya Shydlowski, UC Davis Mentor (2024-2026), Soil Science
"When I was a student, I was an EnvironMentors mentor, and it was a completely transformative experience. I got to grow as a leader, and the student I mentored went on to win an award for his work. That experience is why I'm passionate about making this program a reality at UC Davis."
Grey Monroe, Co-Director, UC Davis EnvironMentors
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The Model

One-on-one research mentorship that changes trajectories, for everyone.

1:1 Mentorship

High school students from underserved communities are paired one-on-one with UC Davis student mentors for an entire academic year of guided research.

Original Research

Students design and execute their own environmental research projects, from hypothesis to poster presentation, using real lab equipment and field sites.

National Network

UC Davis EnvironMentors is the UC Davis chapter of the national GCSE EnvironMentors program with 2,500+ alumni since 1992. Students compete at the International Science Fair.

Fall: Recruitment & matching • Winter: Workshops & research sessions • Spring: Science fair & field trips • Summer: International fair

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Impact

Since 2009, UC Davis EnvironMentors has served:

140+
High school mentees
150+
UC Davis student mentors
$36M+
In funded research from
mentee-authored grants
93%
More first-generation
than UC Davis average
116%
More Hispanic
than UC Davis average
125%
More African American
than UC Davis average
"EnvironMentors has been an incredible opportunity for my children, especially as Black youth."
Janelle Mitchell, Parent of three EnvironMentors participants
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In Their Own Words

Voices from the program

"Thanks to the program and my mentor, I feel prepared with my speaking skills and am confident in my research and writing skills. I would like everyone to know that EnvironMentors is one of the best experiences I have had throughout high school."
Erin Murphy, Emerging Environmental Leader Award Winner, UC Davis EnvironMentors
"EnvironMentors is the program where I feel heard and like I belong."
"Meeting the other chapters and competing against them was kind of an eye opener for me by allowing me to see that my mind could take me places and people would recognize my ability."
"In our first year, we were the youngest mentor-student pair. That year, my mentee's project led her to earn the Research in Environmental Toxicology award... I cannot wait until the day when I can give back to EnvironMentors."
Trent Ichiuji, UC Davis Mentor, Animal Science
"A significant change is the increase in students' confidence. Going from just wanting somebody to tell them what to do, to being able to come up with ideas, was some of the biggest growth I saw."
"Seeing a former EnvironMentors high school mentee now thriving as a senior at MIT and co-founder of a successful start-up is incredibly rewarding."
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Leadership

Our Team

Grey Monroe
Grey Monroe
Co-Director
Associate Professor, Plant Sciences
UC Davis Genome Center
EM
Erwan Monier
Co-Director
Associate Professor, Climate Science
Alice Pierce
Alice Pierce
Program Coordinator
PhD Student, Plant Biology

12 mentors this year from undergraduates to graduate students across Plant Sciences, Ecology, Soil Science, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Policy, Horticulture, Agronomy, and Plant Genetics.

Key Partners: GCSE Global • UC Davis EAOP • Woodland Pioneer High School • CAES Dean's Office • Anne Borger, Assistant Program Coordinator

EnvironMentors touches labs and departments across campus, making it one of the most broadly impactful outreach programs at UC Davis.

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Why Now

The seed is planted. Now it's time to grow.

We have built a system that works. UC Davis students are mentoring high school researchers, those students are winning awards and going to top universities, and our mentors are becoming leaders. The model is proven.

With financial support, we can turn UC Davis EnvironMentors into something truly special: a flagship, iconic program for the university. We can reach more students, deepen the science, send more pairs to international fairs, support more ambitious research, and give UC Davis mentors even greater opportunities to make an impact.

Our vision: Build UC Davis EnvironMentors into an exemplary program where being part of it is something truly special, for mentors and mentees alike.

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2025-2026

This year at UC Davis EnvironMentors

8 mentees from Woodland Pioneer High School, studying water quality, bird populations, agriculture, and more

12 UC Davis mentors from undergraduates to graduate students across multiple departments

4 students accepted to the International Science Fair in Panama City (all on full scholarships)

UC Davis Science Fair — May 1, 2026 at the Alumni Center

EAOP Partnership — College prep panels, UC Davis application fee waivers

CAES Press — Feature story in development for June publication

UC Davis Arboretum • Field research • Campus labs • Panama City 2026

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Your Impact

What does it cost to sponsor a mentor-mentee pair?

Every dollar directly supports the research mentorship experience.

Endowment Opportunities: Donors at the endowment level ($50,000-100,000+) can establish a named, permanent fund to sustain UC Davis EnvironMentors for generations. Contact us to discuss options with our UC Davis Development partners.

All donors recognized: Every supporter is listed in our annual and quarterly newsletters and on the UC Davis EnvironMentors website (unless you prefer to remain anonymous), with tiered recognition levels.

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How to Give

Support UC Davis EnvironMentors

UC Davis Give Day — April 17-18, 2026

Direct gifts through the UC Davis Foundation (tax-deductible)

Corporate sponsorship — Contact Grey Monroe for partnership opportunities

Since 2017, over 52,000 donors have contributed $28.6M+ on UC Davis Give Day

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Let's talk.

Grey Monroe
Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences
UC Davis College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

gmonroe@ucdavis.edu  |  279-222-8881

environmentors.sf.ucdavis.edu
gcseglobal.org/environmentors
Schedule a meeting
"EnvironMentors is the program where I feel heard and like I belong."
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