People

Joleah Lamb, PhD
Associate Professor

Appointments
Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 2026 – Present
Assistant Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2019 – 2025
Ecological Society of America Early Career Fellow, 2020 – 2024
Civil Engineering Development Fellow, The University of Queensland, 2018 – 2019
Innovation for Impact Fellow, Cornell University & Environmental Defense Fund, 2016 – 2018 
NatureNet Science Fellow, Cornell University & The Nature Conservancy, 2014 – 2016

Education
Ph.D. Marine Biology – Australian Institute of Marine Science & James Cook University, 2014
M.S. Tropical Marine Ecology & Fisheries Biology - James Cook University, 2009
B.S. Biology - University of Oregon, Institute of Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, 2005

Phoebe Dawkins, PhD
Graduate Student

Ph.D. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2019 – 2023
NSF Ridge to Reef Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2022 - 2023
California Sea Grant Research Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2020 – 2022
UCI Provost Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2019 – 2023
M.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, 2019
B.S. Earth System Science, Cornell University, 2016

Sam Weber, PhD
Graduate Student

Ph.D. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2019 – 2024
NSF Ridge to Reef Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2021 – 2022 and 2022 – 2023
UCI Recruitment Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2019
M.S. Geography, University of Georgia, 2017
B.S. Meteorology, Virginia Tech, 2013

Evan Fiorenza
Research Specialist

Research Specialist, University of California, Irvine 2020 – 2023
UCI EEB Excellence Fellow, 2022
M.S. Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 2019
B.S. Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Cornell University, 2017

Samantha Cunningham
Graduate Student

M.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2023
B.S. Sociology, Mathematics and Chemistry, New York University, 2017

Erin Tharp
MCRS Researcher

Masters in Marine Conservation and Restoration Science, University of California Irvine, 2024
B.S. Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, 2022
NSF Research Education for Undergraduates, University of Southern California, 2021

Andrea Paz-Lacavex
Visiting Researcher

M.S. Coastal Science and Policy Fellow, University of California Santa Cruz, 2022
Environmental Management Specialist, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, 2019-2020
B.S. Environmental Science, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, 2014-2018

Karina Murillo
Assistant Researcher

B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology with Honors in Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, 2021
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2020 - 2021
SURP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2020

Makena Rush
Assistant Researcher

B.A. Social Ecology, minor in Global Sustainability, University of California Irvine, 2021
B.F.A. Dance Performance, University of California Irvine, 2021
Community Engagement Intern, Sustainability Resource Center, University of California Irvine, 2020-2021

Daelyn Daniloff
Assistant Researcher

B.A. Social Ecology, B.A. Psychology & Social Behavior, minors in Global Sustainability & Creative Writing, University of California Irvine, 2021
Global Service Scholar, University of California Irvine, 2021
Research Assistant, Blum Center of Poverty Alleviation, University of California Irvine, 2021
ASUCI Sustainability and Garden Commission Intern, University of California Irvine, 2019

Min Han
Undergraduate Researcher

B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2023
California Sea Grant Undergraduate Research Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2022 - 2023
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2020 - 2021
Campus as Living Lab, University of California Irvine, 2019 - 2020
Center for Environmental Biology, University of California Irvine, 2020 - 2021

Caitlin Yee
Undergraduate Researcher

B.S. Biological Sciences, minor in Asian American Studies, University of California Irvine, 2023
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2021 - 2022 and 2022 - 2023
SURP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2022

Emily Le
Undergraduate Researcher

B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2024
Regents’ Scholar, University of California Irvine, 2020 - 2024
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2021 - 2022
SURP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2022

Jiasheng Gong
Undergraduate Researcher

B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 2023

Isabel Magaña
Assistant Researcher

B.S. Biological Sciences, minor in Global Sustainability, University of California Irvine, 2022
Campus as Living Lab, University of California Irvine, 2021 - 2022
ASUCI Garden Commission Intern, University of California Irvine, 2018-2019

Sara Atashbar
Assistant Researcher

B.S. Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, 2021
AS-T Biological Sciences, Ventura College, 2019
STEM Transfer Scholar, 2019-2020
Founder and co-president of Yadavary Wellness and Health at UCI 2020-2021

Lily Nguyen
Assistant Researcher

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of California Irvine, 2021
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2019 - 2020
SURP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2019

Tina Geller
Assistant Researcher

B.S. Earth System Science - Oceanography, University of California Irvine, 2019
B.A. Psychology in Social Behavior, minor in Global Sustainability, University of California Irvine, 2019

Carys Erving
Undergraduate Researcher

B.A. Social Ecology, minor in Global Sustainability, University of California Irvine, 2022
UC Regents’ Scholar, University of California Irvine

Bianca Aram
Undergraduate Researcher

B.S. Biological Sciences, minor in Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Irvine, 2021
UCI Campuswide Honors Program, University of California Irvine, 2017 - 2021
UROP Fellow, University of California Irvine, 2019 - 2020