Keiki Sunderland

I graduated from UC San Diego in June 2025 with a BA in Writing and a BS in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. I spent time while there as a research assistant in Dr. Shermin de Silva’s HumaNature lab, where I learned about research on human - elephant conflict in Sri Lanka and India. I also conducted independent research in the form of a systematic literature review of global conservation funding dynamics under the supervision of PhD candidate Sanchaya Sharma. My love of writing pulled me into marine science when, as a journalist for Under the Scope undergraduate research magazine, I interviewed researchers and co-authored an article examining the impacts of human disturbances and climate change on aquatic life.

I am exploring new ways to chase my curiosity about marine mammology as an intern with the Stranding Network at the Vertebrate Ecology Lab. I am particularly interested in how physical and behavioral constraints can make responding to changing climates and human-shared waters challenging for marine mammals. When I’m not in Moss Landing, I enjoy volunteering with the ecological restoration crew at Año Nuevo State Park, drawing, and writing short eco-fiction stories.