Stockton Retreat: Community Building and Conservation in Action
The Stockton Smith Retreat was an opportunity for Fellows from the 2019–2024 cohorts who hold identities underrepresented in conservation science to come together for community building, regional networking, and new research collaborations.
Organized and hosted by Ezra Kottler (2022 Fellow) at the University of the Pacific — a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution — the retreat also created space to share lived experiences through engagement with students, staff, and faculty.
Fellows began at the University’s Biological Sciences Center with a facilitated discussion about retreat goals and intended outcomes. They met with staff from the Center for Identity and Inclusion to discuss opportunities for and barriers to supporting students with marginalized identities in higher education in the current political moment.
The retreat featured a panel, “Conservation Science: Careers and Activism,” attended by students, staff, and faculty. Panelists discussed pursuing conservation science funding, supporting scientists from underrepresented groups in STEM, and navigating conservation careers while engaging in activism.
Participants also traveled to Sacramento for a tour of the California State Capitol, where they discussed policy engagement and the role of scientific expertise in legislative hearings concerning wildlife health and conservation.
Additional visits included the Sacramento Zoo and restoration efforts along the American River, as well as a stop at UC Berkeley to connect with current Fellow Diego Ellis Soto (2024) and research mentors.
On the final morning, Fellows gathered at a local plant nursery and café in Stockton to draft a letter to the Society for Conservation Biology North America’s Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee, outlining challenges affecting conservation scientists from underrepresented groups in STEM and identifying ways the community can support equitable access to participation in conservation science.
The Stockton Retreat was the first of its kind and reflects the many possibilities for Fellow-led gatherings.
