PhD Candidate
PhD Candidate
Cesar O. Estien is a first-generation college graduate and Ph.D. candidate in UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management in Dr. Christopher Schell's lab, focusing on advancing our understanding of how societal inequity and environmental injustice shape the ecology of cities. He is currently investigating the extent to which societal inequity influences wildlife biodiversity, biodiversity sampling, wildlife behavior, and human-wildlife interactions through an environmental justice lens.
Prior to arriving at UC Berkeley, Cesar completed his undergraduate degree at Florida State University, where he investigated how microplastics influence fertilization success in broadcast spawning organisms with Dr. Don Levitan. Following his undergraduate degree, Cesar worked at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Hastings Natural History Reservation before entering a post-bac position at the University of Cincinnati. During his post-bac, Cesar worked with Dr. Elizabeth Hobson to investigate how to use playbacks to manage non-native species and understand relationship dynamics. Throughout this time, Cesar served as the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for ESA's Student Section where he helped develop a program that aided in the career development of students in ecology. While in this position, he led a manuscript that analyzed virtual conferences as a space for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. From 2021-2023, Cesar served as the Co-Chair for the Environmental Justice Section of ESA, where he led and assisted projects that aim to advance justice, equity, and inclusion, such as the EEB Language Project. Additionally, Cesar is involved with DEI initiatives with the Graduate Diversity Council (GDC) in ESPM, writes for the urban ecology blog Life in the City, and has created an outdoor program entitled "PEN".
Read more at cesaroestien.com
B.S. Biological Science, Florida State University (2020)
Post-Baccalureate, Biological Science, University of Cincinnati (2021)
PhD, Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley (2021 - Present)
urban ecology, environmental justice and health, social-ecological dynamics, wildlife ecology, equity
My current work takes place within the Bay Area to understand the extent to which societal inequity and environmental injustice shapes biodiversity and wildlife ecology. My work uses a One-Health and environmental justice lens to more holistically investigate how the urban landscape impacts wildlife. Read more at cesaroestien.com
Visit Google Scholar for an updated list of publications
Estien, C. O., Carlen, E. J., & Schell, C. J. (2024). Examining the influence of sociodemographics, residential segregation, and historical redlining on eBird and iNaturalist data disparities in three US cities. Ecology and Society, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-15263-290316
Estien, CO, M Fidino, CE Wilkinson, R Morello-Frosch, & CJ Schell. Coming 2024. Historical redlining is associated with disparities in wildlife biodiversity in four California cities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2321441121
Carlen EJ* & Estien CO*, T Caspi, D Perkins, B Goldstein, SES Kreling, Y Hentati, TD Williams, LA Stanton, S Des Roches, R Johnson, A Young, CB Cooper, CJ Schell. 2024. A framework for contextualizing socio-ecological biases in contributory science data. People & Nature. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10592
Estien CO, CE Wilkinson, R Morello-Frosch, & CJ Schell. 2024. Historical redlining is associated with disparities in environmental quality across California. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00870
Estien, CO. Queering ecology: (Re)constructing ecology as a home to better understand the social-ecological pressures of wildlife. 2023. Preprint at EcoEvoRxiv https://doi.org/10.32942/X2SK5H
Cheng, SJ, KM Gaynor, A Moore, K Darragh, CO Estien, JW Hammond, C Lawrence, K Mills, M Biaz, D Ignace, L Khadempour, M McCary, MM Rice, SJ Tumber-Davila, & JA Smith. 2023. Championing Inclusive Terminology in Ecology and Evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.011
Estien, CO, CL O’Connell, X Francis, G Smith-Vidaurre, BM Kluever, EA Hobson, & A van der Marel. 2022. Temporary behavioral responses to playbacks by a pest parrot and implications for management. Animal Behavior & Cognition. 9(4), 363-384. https://doi.org/10.26451/abc.09.04.01.2022
Selected Media Articles
Estien, CO. Social-Ecological Frameworks and What the Future May Hold? Life in the City: Evolution in an Urbanizing World 2022
Estien, CO. What's Missing in Urban Ecology? Life in the City: Evolution in an Urbanizing World 2022
Estien, CO. How Do We Begin To Center Environmental Justice? Life in the City: Evolution in an Urbanizing World 2021
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Joe McBride Urban Forestry & Ecological Design Scholarship (2024)
Oliver Lyman Award (2022)
ESA Trailblazing Award in Education (2022)
William Simes Research Award (2022)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2021)
UC Berkeley Graduate Chancellor's Fellowship (2021)
Carol Baird Graduate Student Award for Field Research (2021)
ESA Trailblazing Award in Diversity & Inclusion (2021)
Academic Division: Ecosystem Science
Contact details
Cesar O. Estien
Estien_Cesar_CV_11132024.pdf Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management UC Berkeley 130 Mulford Hall #3114 Berkeley, CA 94720