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Sarah-Mae Nelson

Assistant Director and Climate Stewards Coordinator

2026. Meet Sarah-Mae Nelson, a powerful voice for climate education and action. (1 minute, 45 second - video)
2023. Meet Sarah Mae Nelson: Using Science Communication for Innovation | Wave Makers (19 minutes, 23 seconds - podcast)
2022. Nelson, S-M., Ira, G., and Merenlender, A. Adult Climate Change Education Advances Learning, Self-Efficacy, and Agency for Community-Scale Stewardship. Sustainability, 14(3), 1804.
2021. Bonanno, A, Ennes, M, Hoey, JA, Moberg, E, Nelson, S-M, Pletcher, N, Tanner, RL. Empowering hope-based climate change communication techniques for the Gulf of Maine. Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 9(1).
2019. Climate Change Studies Minor, University of California San Diego. (Nelson, S-M. Master's Project Implemented)
2018. Nelson, S-M. Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Change Studies Minor for the University of California San Diego. (Master's Project)
2015. Communicating Climate Change through Science and Interpretation. Nelson, S-M. Climate Education and Literacy Champion of Change.
Sarah-Mae Nelson (LinkedIn Profile)
M.A.S. Climate Science and Policy, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. 2018
B.S. Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz. 2002
Climate Change Interpretation, Communication, and Education
  • CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM

Sarah-Mae is an educator, science communicator, and climate change communication specialist who draws on her background and interest in interpretation in informal science education centers. She has a Master's in Climate Science and Policy from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego and a B.S. in Marine Biology from UC Santa Cruz. She is a member of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, the National Association for Interpretation, and the UN Education, Communication, and Outreach Stakeholders (ECOS) Community. She was recognized by President Obama in 2015 as a Champion of Change in Climate Education and Literacy and was recently awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education for her work.

Hurricane Milton- clouds in a circular pattern cover the image
UC Environmental Stewards Blog: Article

Unnatural Disasters

October 11, 2024
By Sarah-Mae Nelson
Content Warning: This article discusses Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, Hurricane Harvey, and other climate change-related issues and impacts that might be hard to read for some.
View Article