Last week, students from the University of San Francisco’s Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM) program attended the 16th biennial 2025 State of the Estuary Conference at the historic Scottish Rite Center on the banks of Lake Merritt in Oakland. This two-day gathering, organized by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, drew scientists, policymakers, community leaders, environmental professionals and interested community members committed to understanding and protecting the San Francisco Bay-Delta and its surrounding communities. The plenary speakers shared, among other interesting updates, a brand-new dashboard for tracking the health of the Bay and the health of the bird communities living on the Bay, before breaking out into smaller concurrent sessions addressing topics ranging from how the extensive hardscape of the Bay edge affects sea level rise in communities, to groundwater rise and contamination risks. The conference offered a chance for MSEM students to learn about cutting-edge environmental work and real-world integrations of science, policy, and management to create sustainable, equitable solutions.
Accepting the SFEP Jean Auer Award for significant contributions to the cause, Save The Bay Executive Director David Lewis said of the challenges facing the Bay, “We all know the challenges today are daunting. Ocean warming and acidification threatens the whole marine food web. With sea level rise, our wetlands will flood our communities within decades, and our 50-year-old environmental laws, like the California Environmental Quality Act, Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act, are insufficient for what is facing us. They don’t help us speed up protection of the environment and public safety from climate threats, floods and extreme storms, fires and droughts and rightly should be modernized.” His comments underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, especially in the current political climate.
Those interested in protecting the health of the estuary, delta, and the communities surrounding them must consider countless moving parts, including climate and sea level rise resilience, habitat restoration and invasive species mitigation, water quality management and community-driven adaptation. Throughout the conference, students engaged directly with the policy makers, researchers, institutions and organizations collectively invested in tackling the issues shaping the region’s environmental future. They attended plenaries and panels featuring regional leaders and researchers from Bay Area organizations such as the SF Regional Water Quality Control Board, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, the Delta Science Program and Stewardship Council, as well as state-wide and national organizations such as the US Army Corps of Engineers, the State Board of Equalization, Deltares USA Inc, the US Geological Survey and various university researchers and professors. Witnessing these functionally diverse organizations working together to achieve a common goal offered insight into the collaborative decision-making that happens at the intersection of science and policy, illustrating the complexity and interconnectedness of environmental management.
Joia, MSEM ‘27, shared “[It’s exciting] seeing how many people are coming together to work for the health of the Bay. Getting to meet people who were tabling and seeing how many different organizations are here was really cool.”
Topics covered in the parallel sessions were diverse and included sessions like Greening the Estuary: Infrastructure, Parks and Public Space; Science, Management and Governance in the Era of Extreme Weather Events and Filling the Void: Translating Planning into Action for Increasing Bayland Sediment Supply, exposing MSEM students to a wide range of management issues and real-world challenges being tackled across the bay. Many described the experience as an inspiring glimpse at the interdisciplinary collaboration they wish to facilitate after graduation, blending data analysis, innovative management strategies and inclusive engagement with affected communities.
Henry Catron, MSEM ‘27, shared “It was extremely interesting sitting in and listening to the various panels that the conference had to offer. Overall, [it] gave me a lot of confidence that there are tons of people out there that really care about upholding ecological standards in our world, which is constantly developing. I can’t wait to return to next year’s conference.”
Between sessions, students took advantage of the chance to explore the exhibit hall and speak directly with representatives from sponsoring organizations such as Save the Bay, Ducks Unlimited, Sonoma Land Trust and organizations considered leaders in environmental restoration, resource management and sustainability consulting. These conversations open the door to future internships and job opportunities while giving students the chance to learn about active projects happening across the Bay Area. Carla Angulo, who graduated from the MSEM program in 2022, attended this conference from the other side of the table — as a representative of her company, WRA Environmental Consultants. She concentrated in water management and mentioned that the knowledge and experience she gained during the MSEM program was invaluable in her work as a senior biological technician. As a recent graduate, her advice was to keep attending conferences and networking at them. “Mingling is really important — it’s all part of the process. When you come to these conferences, you get to see what’s actually being done — it helps you digest and focus on what you want to do.”
We were also excited to see one of our recent grads presenting her research at the conference poster session. Recent MSEM graduate Jasmin Ibarra-Cortes presented her capstone “Analyzing Ballast Water Treatments, Invasive Species, and Pathogens: A Decade-Long Analysis of the San Francisco and Baltimore Ports.” Her research examined how the ballast water used to stabilize ships can inadvertently transport invasive species and pathogens between ports. Jasmin looked into a ten-year period of vessel traffic patterns and the implementation of ballast-water treatment technologies on both coasts, comparing how regulatory frameworks and management practices have evolved. Her findings revealed that while the use of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection combined with filtration has become increasingly common, this method remains only partially effective against diapausing eggs, dormant life stages of invasive organisms capable of surviving long periods and harsh conditions. Jasmin’s research recommends stronger filtration standards and region-specific treatment approaches tailored to local traffic patterns. At the conference, Jasmin’s poster sparked meaningful conversations with scientists and agency staff about improving monitoring strategies and aligning treatment standards with emerging science. The experience was the perfect opportunity to share her research and step into a professional dialogue that will shape future management decisions.
MSEM is always looking to partner with Bay Area organizations on research that our students can help with — as independent projects or for their capstone projects. Reach out to msem@usfca.edu if your organization is interested in partnering with us.
Conferences like this demonstrate the importance of effective, ethical and scientifically-informed environmental managers who are skilled at navigating policy, science and community engagement. They reinforce the importance of communication, collaboration, and systems-level thinking: skills that are at the core of MSEM curriculum. MSEM is proud this year to have sponsored the attendance of many students, a feat that would have been impossible without our generous donors. If you’re interested in supporting our students’ attendance at conferences like the State of the San Francisco Estuary and others that shape the future of environmental leadership, please consider donating today.
