Capstone.
build your professional portfolio through applied client work.
The best way to learn communication skills is to apply them in a real-world context.
The communication capstone project (ESM 449) represents an opportunity to apply the skills that students learn in the Communication focus. This experience helps build skills and a communication portfolio over ten weeks in spring quarter. Students may work for a client, develop their own communication products, or expand upon their Master's Group Projects.
Past communication capstones have taken on a diversity of topics and tactics, such as branding and messaging strategy, short films, audience research, educational curricula, outreach strategies, infographics, and museum interactives.
Capstone Project Requirements
Successful projects should focus on a clear goal, such as raising awareness, promoting engagement, creating educational opportunities, or compelling individuals to engage in pro-environmental behavior. They must also incorporate at least two of the following:
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Strategy
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Narrative / Story development
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Audience research
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Development of a communication skill or tool
Students interested in taking ESM 449: Environmental Communication Practicum should reach out to the instructor the quarter before they plan to take the class to decide upon an appropriate communication capstone project.
Capstone Archive
2022 Capstones
DISCOVERIES AT DANGERMOND
ArcGIS Storymap
The Dangermond Preserve has over three years of research to share with the public since they acquired the land, and this ESRI ArcGIS StoryMap, helps to articulate new discoveries, to grow awareness, and to promote engagement and economic support from the local community.
Team:
Kristin Gill
Kirsten Hodgson
Roshni Katrak-Adefowora
Morganne Sigismonti
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GROWING IN THE OCEAN
Short Film & Public Outreach
This educational film outlines the benefits of seaweed aquaculture and is targeted at stakeholders in the California seaweed aquaculture industry, with the goal to help eliminate barriers to offshore aquaculture expansion on the West Coast.
Team:
Madeline McEwen
Laurel Wee
Janelle Gaun
Annie Lovell
Karla Garibay Garcia
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summer trail & climb report
Whitepaper & Report
This in-depth yet accessible report for Protect Our Winters (POW) highlights the impact that climate change has on outdoor sports and access to recreation spaces. It is meant to stimulate advocacy for climate policy among “summer sports" enthusiasts.
Team:
Matt Koller
Sam Fearer
Will Geiken
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Understanding snow as a resource
Short Film
This short film highlights snow monitoring and hydrologic research at CUES (Cold Regions Research and Energy Laboratory & UCSB), a shared snow research site utilized by UCSB, CRREL, and Desert Research Institute (DRI).
Team:
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Alex Gaynor
Halley McVeigh
Caitie Reza
Fire Fuel Mitigation in Mammoth Lakes
Audience Research & Outreach Strategy
This communication strategy will help the Whitebark Institute motivate second-home owners in the Mammoth Lakes area to participate in wildfire mitigation through political action and fuels reduction on personal property.
Team:
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Bri Baker
Kaley Dodson
Aaron Kreisberg
Balloon Free Seas
Community Outreach Campaign
This communication strategy for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) will help reduce harmful balloon pollution in the Santa Barbara Channel through consumer education and a local campaign focused on special events, such as holidays and graduation.
Team:
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Krista Finlay
Elena Ortiz
Lauren Skube
CONSERVING COUGARS THROUGH CONNECTIVITY
Short Film
This short film for The Nature Conservancy is meant to inspire and educate local communities about the importance of habitat connectivity for the conservation of mountain lions and other wildlife.
Team:
Anna Talken
Meghan Fletcher
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2021 Capstones
Parks Are Essential Campaign
Open Spaces Education & Outreach Campaign
The Conejo Recreation & Parks Department hopes to reach residents to communicate benefits of local parks to spark increased use, interest, and support for future park initiatives. This multi-part, research-based campaign includes a survey, strategic messaging, video competitions, and calls to action.
Team:
Veronica Weber
Yani Pohl
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Uprooting Environmental Injustice
Educational Workshops
Environmental managers need a foundational understanding of environmental justice to be effective, equitable, and inclusive problem solvers. This four-part workshop series is designed to help environmental managers gain critical skills and literacy in environmental justice and equity topics.
Team:
Madeline Oliver
Kazia Mermel
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Nori Business to Consumer Development
Strategy & Audience Development
Nori is a growing carbon removal company looking to expand their audience and increase carbon removal purchases. This consulting-style project involves extensive audience research, audience profiles, competitive analyses, and strategic messaging.
Team:
Jordan Isken
Renata Massion
Peter Omasta
Minnie Ringland
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Saving Monarchs
Educational Outreach & Behavior Change Campaign
The Western Monarch’s population has dropped precipitously, with only 1,914 individuals observed in 2020. To help save this iconic species from extinction, this project is working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help nurseries, gardeners, and community-members to adopt monarch-friendly behaviors.
Team:
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Lizzy Schattle
Zoe Duerksen-Salm
Courtney Krone
Marie Bouffard
Nicole Schmidt
Water Balance in National Parks
ArcGIS StoryMap
The National Park Service wants its managers to incorporate ‘water balance’ into their park management practices—but it’s a challenging topic and not many are aware of how it works. This project includes an ArcGIS StoryMap to explain the topic and why it’s relevant to park managers.
Team:
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Joanne Pham
Janelle Christensen
Keene Morrow
Uniquely Sustainable Seafood
Urchin Cooking Video
The purple urchin is a delicacy that can help repopulate California’s kelp forests if fished. But Americans aren’t knowledgeable about the culinary uses and potential of ‘uni.’ To help curious foodies learn more, this cooking video will educate home cooks and share cooking and urchin sustainability tips.
Team:
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Max Diamond
engaging Communities in PUBLIC meetings
Community Engagement Plan
The CA Coastal Commission hopes to expand participation in its public comments. Since many young people and People of Color are underrepresented in this process, this team created a short film, instructional video, and web content to inspire participation and provide engagement tips.
Team:
Gavi Keyles
Monica Gordon
Peyton Moore
Victoria Wallace
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Seaweed Revolution
Short Film
The potential for seaweed aquaculture is real, though challenges remain in expanding its use. Created for UCSB’s Seaweed Working Group, this short film addresses the benefits of seaweed aquaculture and helps those who might be skeptical better understand its sustainability and broad applicability.
Team:
Gabriel de la Rosa
Alicia Fennell
Dylan Glave
Rachel Rhodes
Vanessa Rathbone
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Watch the June 2020 capstone presentations!
2020 Capstones
Adopt-a-Cookstove
Branding & Marketing Strategy
Looking to help Adopt-a-Cookstove find and communicate with its target audience, the team conducted interviews with industry experts and researched its competitors. With this information they designed infographics and a website for the organization.
Team:
Eamon Devlin
Tyanna Bui
Max Russer
Let's Talk About Sea Level Rise
Public Outreach
The California Coastal Commission knows how important it is for Californians to prepare for a future that will include sea level rise. This project aimed to create digestible communication tools for the agency that highlight the importance of sea level rise planning and adaptation in coastal communities.
Team:
Adrienne Hewitt
Shellby Johnson
Get Hooked Seafood Market(ing)
Educational Outreach & Marketing
Marketing and educational outreach materials on the health and ecological benefits of eating local seafood! Created for Get Hooked, a community-supported fishery in Santa Barbara. Customer data analysis was also undertaken to inform materials and customer retention strategy.
Team:
Corinna Hong
Sidney Gerst
Community for Climate Action
Local Climate Action Plan
The City of Santa Barbara has been at the forefront of advancing climate policy and taking effective climate actions. To help the City achieve community-wide climate targets with inclusive community engagement, the team created climate outreach strategies, including designing a series of themed workshops and a climate ambassador program.
Team:
Tess Hooper
Geoff Cook
Yirui Zhang
Snowy Plover Conservation
Community-Based Campaign
Beach closures to protect the Western Snowy Plover in Lompoc, CA have generated negative community sentiments towards the threatened bird. But a new 2019 policy allows public access to Surf Beach. This project aims to understand community concerns surrounding beach access, and to foster environmental stewardship among Lompoc residents.
Team:
Hope Cupples
Tara Jagadeesh
Chase Brewster | Renee Albrecht | Robert Heim
‘Greenhouse Sass’ Podcast
Environmental Podcast
The ‘Greenhouse Sass’ podcast breaks down current environmental headlines, in an accessible and conversational way. With quirky humor, topical environmental issues are explained by reviewing relevant scientific studies. Three 20-minute episodes will be discussed, covering Microplastic Generation, Coral Bleaching, and the future of Renewable Energy.
Team:
Sandro Lallas
Karan Shetty
James Fuller
Small-Scale
Big Deal
Multimedia Outreach Campaign
Small-Scale Big Deal is a multimedia project to raise awareness of small-scale fisheries. Using short films and social media, the main objective is to illustrate who small scale fishers are, what they do, why they do it, and how consumer demand impacts their lives. @smallscaleBIGDEAL
Team:
Ilayda Dinc
Gracie White
Nelson Gould
BR Hoover
2019 Capstones
2018 & Earlier
strategic communication for carbon neutrality
Campaign Strategy
Campaign concepts pilot-tested with UC students to improve how the University of California Office of the President connects with the student body regarding its Carbon Neutrality Initiative. TomKat Foundation.
Team:
Ilan MacAdam-Somer
Brian Jones
Heather Martin