First-Year Camping Trip

Depending on funding, the second years organize a camping trip for the incoming first years to get together and meet just before school starts in August. Previous locations have included Salt Point, Big Basin, and Redwood Regional Park.

Regular Social Events

ESPM Weekly Seminar and Social Hour

The ESPM Department hosts a weekly seminar colloquium each semester featuring invited speakers from outside the university that speak on a wide variety of topics, ranging from carbon mapping to coral zoology, from open source geospatial technology to snow leopard conservation policy. The schedule of speakers is determined by an ESPM faculty committee appointed for each semester and typically take place on Thursday afternoon in Mulford Hall. Each 1-hr seminar is followed by a department-wide social hour in the Mulford Courtyard, with refreshing drinks (it’s 5 o’clock somewhere), artistic cheese arrangements, and engaging conversations with the invited speaker. Everyone is welcome to attend the social, even if you weren't able to make it to the seminar, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to get some fresh air and have a drink and a snack with friends!

Fall 2025 Schedule: Thursdays from 3:30 - 4:30pm, Mulford 132. Social hour following at 4:30pm in the Mulford Courtyard.

Co-Being Space with GSAO’s

Once a month or so, students, faculty, postdocs, and staff meet over coffee, tea, and snacks at the Community Co-Being Space hosted by Ryann and Zarah! This can be a great opportunity for facetime with your GSAO’s to bring forward your questions and concerns, but the space also warmly welcomes those who want to drop by for small talk, intradepartmental socializing, or just to get a break from the grind and enjoy a hot drink and relax for a bit.

Fall 2025 Schedule: Every Thursday from 12:00 - 1:00pm, Mulford 139. Bring your own lunch - coffee, tea, and snacks provided.

ESPM Halloween Party

It’s tradition to throw a fun, spirited Halloween celebration for the whole department for Halloween! Faculty, students, staff, and postdocs are encouraged to dress up in costume and join the late afternoon Halloween get-together, which always features festive snacks and drinks, contests and prizes that will get you in the spooky spirit! If you’re wondering whether wearing a costume to campus is “too much”, well - let’s just say, ESPM goes hard on Halloween, so don’t be caught without one! 

Fall 2025 Schedule: Friday, October 31, South Mulford Lawn (time and other details TBA).

ESPM Holiday Party

Every December, the ESPM community comes together to celebrate the end of the fall semester with a social festivus of merrymaking - typically held during RRR week. Dinner and drinks are on the department, and you bring the dessert - partygoers will vote on the best dessert and the winner is awarded accordingly! Lights are strung, holiday tunes played, themed attire worn, food served, drinks doled out liberally. 

Fall 2025 Schedule: Wednesday, December 10, Mulford Hall (time and other details TBA).

Grad Fest

The ESPM Graduate Research Symposium is an annual event that celebrates and showcases graduate student research, typically held during RRR week in the spring semester. Finishing grad students will have the opportunity to present their finishing talks at GradFest to fulfill the graduation requirement. The event usually involves lunch, a keynote speaker, remarks from department leadership, and a reception. 

GSA Events

The Graduate Student Assembly regularly holds events throughout the semester. These could include salsa dancing at Comal, going on Tree Walks, and paint & sipping! Everyone is always welcome to pitch new ideas and help plan future ones.

GradFest 2025 Reception, May 1, 2025

The Oakland Jazz Funk Project, featuring Daniel McFadden (far left), ESPM Ph.D. student

From the Paint & Sip GSA Night! March 8th, 2024

Left to right (bottom): Summer Vance, Kelly Kinder, Kathy Nagel, Kieren Rudge, Andrew Johnson

Left to right (middle): Felipe Montealegre-Mora, Anusha Bishop, Maedeh Chitsaz

Left to right (top): Abby Keller, Sam Maher