This is a profile picture of Sarah-Mae Nelson.

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

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, National Association for Interpretation, California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE), and American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. She was recognized by President Obama in 2015 as a Champion of Change in Climate Education and Literacy and awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by AEOE 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

Peer reviewed

  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Merenlender, Adina M., et al. (2022). Adult Climate Change Education Advances Learning, Self-Efficacy, and Agency for Community-Scale Stewardship. Sustainability - Education to Influence Pro-environmental Behavior.M. Monroe. MDPI. 14:3. February 4, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031804

  • Bonanno, A., Ennes, M., Hoey, J.A., Moberg, E., Nelson, S-M., Pletcher, N., Tanner, R.L. 2021. Empowering hope-based climate change communication techniques for the Gulf of Maine. Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 9(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2020.00051

Non-peer reviewed

  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae (2024). Introduction to Climate Stewardship. Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Utsumi, Karyn. Virtual, Canvas Online Learning Management System, UCOP.
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Ira, Greg (2024). Multi-state Climate Stewards Course FY24-25. Merenlender, Adina; Meadows, Kate. Virtual, Canvas Online Learning Management System, UCOP.
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Ira, Greg (2024). UC Climate Stewards Course FY24-25. Merenlender, Adina; Meadows, Kate. Virtual, Canvas Online Learning Management System, UCOP.
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae.; Utsumi, Karyn; Byrnes, Pamela; Freutel, Eliot; Sarrick, Jill; Peeters, Michelle (2024). UC Environmental Stewards Instructor Manual. Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Utsumi, Karyn; Byrnes, Pamela. Virtual, Canvas Online Learning Management System, UCOP.
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae (2024). Unnatural Disasters. UC ANR. 10/11/2024. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=60785
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae.; Utsumi, Karyn; Byrnes, Pamela; Freutel, Eliot; Sarrick, Jill; Peeters, Michelle (2023). UC Environmental Stewards Instructor Training Canvas Blueprint. Nelson, Sarah-Mae; Utsumi, Karyn; Byrnes, Pamela. Virtual, Canvas Online Learning Management System, UCOP.
  • Nelson, Sarah-Mae (2021). Learning Involves the Whole Person: Building Social-Emotional Resilience for Climate Communication. [White Paper].

  • Drill, Sabrina; Merenlender, Adina; Nelson, Sarah-Mae, et al. (2020). UC Climate Stewards Instructor Training Manual. July 7, 2020. 

  • Nelson, S. (2018). Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Change Studies Minor for the Unviersity of California San Diego. UC San Diego: Climate Science and Policy. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/93c132j0