Advising Appointments

Staff Advisors

Advising is a great way for current and prospective students to learn about different majors, navigating through the major, jobs and internships, and grad school opportunities. We have dedicated staff advisors, faculty master advisors, track advisors, and peer advisors available for both current and prospective students.

The ESM major is jointly coordinated by the Department of Environmental Science & Policy (ESP) and the Department of Land, Air, & Water Resources (LAWR). Advising for the major is split by last name. ESP coordinates advising for students with last names starting with A-L and LAWR coordinates advising for students with last names starting with M-Z.

Which advisor should I see?

Staff advisors are your first stop for advising and can help you navigate the major and plan your classes, as well as offer general advice about the major. Not sure who to ask or what to ask? Start with your staff advisor.

  • Melissa Whaley (she/her) is the staff advisor for last names A-L. She is your first stop for all major related questions and prefers to be called Melissa. She is located in 2134 Wickson Hall and is doing both in person and remote appointments. You can reach her by email at mmwhaley@ucdavis.edu, by phone at 530-752-7183, or you can book an appointment online using the Advising Appointment System. 
  • Lacole Brooks is the staff advisor for last names M-Z. She is your first stop for all major related questions. Lacole is located in 1150 Plant & Environmental Sciences (PES) and is available by appointment only. You can make an appointment online. You can also reach her by email at lbrooks@ucdavis.edu or by phone at 530-752-1603.

Lead faculty advisors are a great resource for help with picking a track if you're not sure, they can help with questions about grad school or careers after graduation, and could even help you find the right alternate major if you're not sure your current major is right for you.

  • Prof. Steve Sadro is the interim lead faculty advisor for ESM last names A-L and is available by appointment. You can reach Dr. Sadro at ssadro@ucdavis.edu. 
  • Prof. Terry Nathan is the lead faculty advisor for ESM last names M-Z. He is available by appointment only. You can book an appointment by emailing him at trnathan@ucdavis.edu.

Peer advisors are current ESM students who can provide an inside perspective on the major and the classes that are part of the major.

  • Elise Gustilo (she/her) is a senior in ESM in the Ecology, Biodiversity, and Conservation Track. You can reach her at esmadvising@ucdavis.edu or you can book an appointment with her online. She is located in 2136 Wickson Hall.
  • William Egry (he/him) is a senior in ESM, Natural Resource Management track. You can reach him at wjegry@ucdavis.edu. William is located in 1139 PES.
  • Anya Nygaard (she/her) is a senior in ESM, Ecology, Biodiversity, and Conservation track. You can reach her at agmnygaard@ucdavis.edu. Anya is located in 1139 PES.

Track advisors can help with course selection, study abroad planning, internship, career, and graduate school advice targeted to the subject area of your track.