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Uzma Ashraf, Ph.D.
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Climate-Smart Siting Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Ashraf is an expert in species distribution modeling and a postdoctoral scholar funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in the Wild Energy Initiative. In this role, she studies the intersection between the conservation of wildlife and renewable energy development across the United States and identifying modalities of environmental justice in the planning process.
Contact Dr. Ashraf: uashraf@ucdavis.edu
Elliott Steele, Ph.D.
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UC Wild Solar Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Steele studies the relationship between wildlife and photovoltaic solar energy infrastructure. Dr. Steele's research applies animal behavior, field ecology, marine biology, and conservation science. Elliott was a conservation scientist at the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens where he raised endangered California amphibians and reptiles to be reintroduced into the wild. Elliott received his PhD from Dartmouth College where he studied the visual ecology of sociality.
Contact Dr. Steele: epsteele@ucdavis.edu
Nick Tew, Ph.D.
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UC Wild Solar Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Tew’s research centers on restoration ecology in solar parks, where renewable energy generation and biodiversity conservation can be delivered hand in hand. Dr. Tew holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford, a master's degree by research from Imperial College London and a PhD from the University of Bristol. His doctoral research explored insect pollinators in urban landscapes, and he subsequently spent two years working in biodiversity conservation for environmental charities.
Contact Dr. Tew: ntew@ucdavis.edu
Chevon C. Holmes, MA
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Chevon C. Holmes is a doctoral candidate in the Geography Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis conducting mixed-methods research to explore how land-systems and the people who occupy them interact. Chevon earned an Artium Baccalaureus magna cum laude in geography with honors in history from Mount Holyoke College. In her PhD research, Chevon studies how coupled technological and ecological systems may drive sustainable development in remote rural environments. Chevon is a recipient of a 2023 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Research Fellowship, a highly competitive and significant national accomplishment. Chevon is also a classically French trained chef with more than five years of executive experience.