Lauren Harris

Research

I am interested in understanding the relationship between plants and their environment, and how they have adapted to it. For my undergraduate research project I wanted to know which California chaparral species have evolved to respond to which wildfire cue, if any. I also am determining which wildfire treatment or combination of treatments is most effective for germinating a range of species in order to make seed bank analysis simpler for restoration practitioners.

Outside of the lab my life still revolves around plants; I love hiking, plant photography and gardening. After I graduate from UCSB with a B.S. in ecology in 2021 I will begin at the Bren school at UCSB to start a M.S. in environmental science and management, with a focus in conservation planning, as part of the class of 2023. My overall goal is to contribute to the conservation and restoration of California and its incredible biodiversity.