Justin Cummings, holds a BA in Spanish
and a BS in Biology from Eastern Illinois University. In 2013, he received
his Ph.D. from the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a
designated emphasis in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz. As a post-doc at
Florida International University, he managed and maintained eddy covariance flux towers in the Florida Everglades and studied how changes in environmental
factors influenced the uptake and release of CO2 across seasons in the Florida Everglades. In 2015, Justin moved back to Santa Cruz, CA
where he helped co-create and served as the founding Director of the UCSC Doris Duke
Conservation Scholars Program from 2015 to early 2020. The UCSC Conservation Scholars Program’s guiding mission is to prepare the next generation
of diverse conservation leaders by taking 25 diverse students per year to NRS reserves across the state, and using the NRS as the perfect outdoor classroom for learning about conservation and leadership. In 2018,
Justin was the highest vote recipient in the election for Santa Cruz City Council, is the Mayor of Santa Cruz for 2020, and will be up for re-election in 2022. His interests are broadly in plant physiology, restoration ecology, conservation science, ecosystem physiology, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.