Staff of The STEPS Institute:

Dr. James A. Estes
Interim Director
Phone: 831.459.2820, Email: jestes@ucsc.edu

Marine biologist and ecologist James Estes, adjunct Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Ocean Sciences at UCSC, and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, is best known for his groundbreaking research on the ecological role of sea otters in coastal ecosystems. His ongoing research projects deal with the ecology of coastal marine communities in the Aleutian Islands, Central California, and the Channel Islands. He also studies strategies for marine conservation, including research on the effects of marine reserves on rockfish populations in Central California.

A fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, Dr. Estes' awards and honors include a Pew Marine Conservation Fellowship and the USGS Shoemaker Award for Distinguished Achievement in Communication. He earned a B.A. in zoology from the University of Minnesota, M.S. in zoology from Washington State University, and Ph.D. in biological sciences and statistics from the University of Arizona.

Abby Young
Program Coordinator
Phone: 831.459.1310, Email: abyoung@ucsc.edu

For more information: steps@ucsc.edu
Mail Stop:
410 Interdisciplinary Sciences Building
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

STEPS Internal Advisory Board Members

• Sheldon Kamieniecki, Dean, Department of Social Sciences
• Paul Koch, Chair, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Bruce Margon, Vice Chancellor for Research
• Ingrid Parker, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Daniel Press, Chair, Department of Environmental Studies
• Peter Raimondi, Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Lisa Sloan, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies
• Donald Smith, Department of Environmental Toxicology
• Stephen Thorsett, Dean, Department of Physical and Biological Sciences